Edna Reckling received her angel wings on January 22, 2018, at the age of 93. She was born December 28, 1924 in Western, NE to Herman & Selma Timm. She was baptised and confirmed in Western, NE.
After graduating from Western High School in 1942, she moved to a Crete boarding house and was employed by Ben Franklin. She also worked at the Crete Mills Small Packaging before marrying Robert L. Reckling on February 10, 1947 at the UCC Church in Crete. Edna was an exceptional housewife, even without having electricity or indoor plumbing the first ten years of their marriage. She later worked in the Crete Public Schools cafeteria and then as the UCC Church secretary. Edna was known as an excellent cook, baker, and housekeeper. She always had a large garden and filled the cellar with canning. There was always a freezer full of beef, chicken and sweet corn that she spent each summer putting up. Monday was always wash day, using an old wringer washer out on the porch and then dried on lines outside, or in the house, depending on the weather. Tuesdays she ironed everything but the sheets. She was a wonderful mother and excelled as a grandma! Her granddaughters spent many, many hours with her and grandpa and each had a very special, enduring relationship with both of them.
Bob & Edna lived on a farm just east of Crete until Bob surprised everyone and decided to retire to town in 1976. They enjoyed retirement on Forest Street for almost another 30 years before moving to Doane Village, residing there for several years. Following Bob's death, a fall, and increasing dementia she lived at The Gardens for five years and later at Tabitha as her health needs increased.
Until increasing eye problems plagued her, she was an avid reader, and wrote many letters to relatives and friends, including a pen-pal she stayed in contact with until the last years of her life. She loved crossword puzzles and word search puzzles. She was an excellent seamstress, making much of the family's clothing. Her embroidery was beautiful. Although knitting wasn't really her thing, she did knit dozens of baby hats for the Crete Hospital and hundreds of dish clothes that she enjoyed giving to family and friends.
She was an active member at the UCC Church in Crete all of her adult life, teaching Sunday School for a few years and serving on many committees. Edna was a very social person and enjoyed being an active member of the Crete Lioness Club, Fortnightly Club, UCC Womens Fellowship, the VFW Auxiliary, and the WannaKnowIt
Extension Club. In their younger days, Edna and Bob square danced with the Shirts & Skirts Club in Wilber and enjoyed going to polka dances. In their retirement years they played cards several times a week, but she later said she didn't really like playing cards and refused to play after Bob died.
Survived by daughter, Shari Eberspacher & husband, Larry, of Crete and daughter-in-law, Lisa Reckling of Oregon. Granddaughters Jennifer (Dave) Wakehouse of Tekamah Ne, Stacy Flesner of Seward, Laura (Jason) Lowe of Belleville, IL, and Lauren Reckling Johnson of Bend, Oregon. She leaves eight great-grandchildren: Anna, Luke & Emma Wakehouse, Brenden & Lindsay Flesner, Jace & Ellie Lowe, and GiGi Johnson. She has one remaining sister-in-law, Ruth Reckling, in Iowa, and ten nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by husband, Bob, son, Jim, parents, her one sister, Joan Waples, in-laws Ivan Waples, Don & Elaine Reckling, Milton Reckling, and many, many wonderful friends.
A celebration of her life will be held Friday, January 26, 2018, at 2 p.m. at the Crete UCC Church. Visitation will be on Thursday from 5 - 7 at Kuncl Funeral Home in Crete. Memorials to the Crete United Church of Christ or to Tabitha Hospice (4720 Randolph Street, Lincoln NE 68510).
Kuncl Funeral Home in Crete in charge of arrangements.