Arline Raitt

Arline E. Elm Raitt, age 98, died Friday, February 10, 2023, at the Genoa Community Hospital - LTC.

Services are 10:00 AM February 18, 2023, at McKown Rice Funeral Home in Genoa. Burial is in Valley View Cemetery. The family invites everyone to a celebration of Arline's life following the burial from 11:00-1:00 PM at the Genoa City Hall.

Memorials may be designated to the Genoa Library or Genoa Fire and Rescue.

Arline Emily (Andreasen) Elm-Raitt was born February 19, 1924, on a farm east of St. Edward, Nebraska the oldest of 6 children to Alfred and Mae (Smolinski) Andreasen.

She was raised on a farm where she learned to cultivate corn with a one-row cultivator and a team of horses.

She grew up attending Sunday School and church at a rural Lutheran Church in Rosenberg where along with the church there was a social hall and a grocery store.

Her first school was Palestine, a country school east of St. Edward.

Later the family moved, and she attended Plum Center School through the 10 ^th grade.  She would finish high school and graduate from St. Edward High School in 1941.  She played the saxophone in the High School band and orchestra.

She took Normal Training in High School and upon passing all exams, was qualified to teach in a rural school.  Her first teaching job was south of Albion with teaching positions to follow south of St. Edward and then west of Genoa.  To continue renewing her teaching certificate she completed college hours at Central College in Central City.  In addition to teaching all 8 grades, she was the janitor and had to get the stove started before the children arrived.

After a few years of teaching, she decided to go into Cosmetology.  She trained as an apprentice in Columbus to get her license and started her own beauty shop in Genoa.  She supplemented this with some secretarial, clerking and waitressing jobs and owned her own dress shop.

In November 1948 she and Dean Elm were married in Genoa.  To this union one daughter, Jerri, was born.

In 1954 she went to work at the Genoa Public School as the Secretary to the Superintendent.  She held this position for 26 years.

She and Dean loved to dance and spent many Saturday nights at the Legion Club in Genoa or ballroom dancing and square dancing in Columbus.  Fishing in Minnesota most summers, visiting family in Kansas and Washington, and an occasional trip to Las Vegas made many memories for her. But she always considered becoming a grandma in 1970 the greatest event ever.  There would be more grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren to follow, and she never tired of talking about them, bragging about them, and pulling out a stack of photos.  She was a very proud Grandma, choosing to be known as Grammy to her great-grandchildren.

In 1978, Dean suddenly passed away.  It was such a sad time for her, but keeping busy with her family and friends gave her the strength she needed.  She moved to Grand Island in 1980 and worked in the shoe department of Miller and Paine.

In 1985, she married James L. Raitt.  Jim commuted to Genoa from Grand Island for a time to run his family business, West End Service.  To make things easier, they moved back to Genoa where Jim ran the business until 1990 when it was sold.   Jim and Arline traveled whenever they could, loved to eat at the Husker House in Columbus with friends, enjoyed time with their families, and lived a full and happy life until Jim's passing in 2005.

Over the years, Arline volunteered at the Genoa Senior Center, served on the Genoa Library Board, was a member of the Genoa Legion Auxiliary and the Genoa Methodist Church.

She lived independently after Jim's passing until 2016 when she moved to Looking Glass Estates Assisted Living and later to Long Term Care in Genoa.  There she enjoyed interacting with the staff and residents, playing cards, Wii bowling, church services, Nebraska volleyball and football, following her great-grandchildren's sporting events, and having family and community visitors. Memories of our time with her, her beautiful white hair and signature red lipstick will live in our hearts forever.

She will be missed by her family and many friends.

Survivors :

Daughter :

Jerri (Mark) Robinson   Greeley, CO

Stepson s :

Jim (Gail) Raitt Prairie du Sac, WI

Shayne (Becky) Raitt Hastings, NE

Stepdaughter :

Cindy (Gary) Martin  Grand Island, NE

Grandson s :

David (Michele) Swantek Waite Park, MN

Joel Raitt Lodi , WI

Ryan (Allison) Raitt San Diego, CA

Cain (Erin) Martin  Lincoln , NE

Gavin (Paige) Raitt Hastings , NE

Granddaughter s :

Jenifer (Chad) Marley   Ft. Collins, CO

Heather Dubas Aurora , NE

Sheena (Jeremiah) Tripp Ashland , NE

Lia Raitt Escondido, CA

Great Grandson s :

Logan (Taylor) Marley

Calvin Marley

Blake (Courtney) Rychne r

Christopher Raitt

Bennett Raitt

Titus Tripp

Mason Tripp

Baby Tripp due May 2023

Dylan Dubas

Tyler (Claire) Dubas

Drake Martin

Great Granddaughter s :

Skyler Marley

Taylor Swantek

Kendal Swantek

Molly Swantek

Skylar Rychner

Madeline Raitt

Kylie ( Kaiyzer ) Ballweg

Claire Raitt

Courtney (Alex) McDowell

Paisley Raitt

Blair Martin

S ix Great Great Grandchildre n

Sister-in-law :

Ida m ae Yokley

Cousins, nieces and nephews

Preceded in death by:

Husband – Dean Elm

Husband – James L. Raitt

Grandson – James D Raitt IV

Parents – Alfred and Mae Andreasen

Brothers and spouses :

L eland (Viola) Andreasen

Merlin (Erna Lee) Andreasen

Veryl (Mary) Andreasen

Sisters and spouses :

Dolores (Virgil) Patrick

Glenda (Harley) Hiemer