Dorothy Spies

Dorothy M. Spies, age 92, formerly of Columbus, Nebraska died Monday, January 31, 2022 in Greeley, Nebraska.

A Private Family Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, February 4, 2022 at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Columbus. Burial is in the St. Bonaventure Cemetery.

The Funeral Mass will be broadcast on the McKown Funeral Home Facebook page. You can access the Facebook page by clicking here .

Dorothy M Niedbalski was born January 26, 1930, in Genoa, Nebraska to James and Barbara (Liss) Niedbalski.  She attended schools in Platte Center and Columbus, Nebraska and graduated from Columbus High School May 28, 1947.

Dorothy was married to Walter B Spies on May 2, 1950, at St. Anthony Church in Columbus, Nebraska.

Dorothy and Walter owned and operated Walt's Apco Service from 1968-1976.  She later drove her own Star route.  She also had a very brief career in the night crawler business.  But mostly Dorothy was a stay-at-home wife and mother to her husband and eight children.

In her younger years Dorothy liked to sew, quilt, bake and can.  She could make almost anything with a sewing machine and enjoyed sewing until her eyesight failed her.  Around Christmas time she would fill every available container with cookies, bars, and candies she had baked for family and friends.  The containers would line the hallway at home.  During the summer she would stay up through the night canning corn.  Dorothy loved butterflies, anything with butterflies was always a welcomed gift.  She was a master at Scrabble and was often accused of 'cheating' by her family.

Dorothy was a member of St Anthony Church, where she loved to sing in the Polish choir and volunteered for many years at bingo and for the bazaar.  She was dedicated to the rosary and used to lead it before mass.  She was a member of Saint Theresa Sodality and the Scotus Mothers.

Dorothy is survived by her eight children, their spouses and 11 grandchildren.
Rita Bohnenkamp of Cheyenne, WY
Diana (Larry) Soulliere of Platte Center, NE
Valerie Spies of Columbus, NE
Dominic (Nenita) Spies of Columbus, NE
Fred (Katrina) Spies of Columbus, NE
Geralyn Gallagher of Palm Springs, CA.
Michael (Dorene) Spies of Grand Island, NE
Julie (Michael) Minturn of Washougal, WA
Grandchildren: Cindy Shannon of Syracuse, NE, Bobbi (Lance Dilfer) Werkmeister of Columbus, NE, Janel (Shane Borer) Soulliere of Columbus, NE, April Spies of Omaha, NE, Tiffany (Scott) Walker of Sacramento, CA, Eric (Colleen) Spies of Omaha, NE, Stephani (Jason) Wesely of Omaha, NE,  Barnaby Gallagher of Palm Springs, CA, Dillon Spies of Kearney, NE, Dalton Spies of Lincoln, NE, Jesse Spies of Kearney, NE
9 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren
Sister Barbara Incontro and brother Walter Niedbalski; Sister-in-law Myrtle Niedbalski; Many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents James and Barbara Niedbalski
Her husband of 59 years Walter B Spies
Sisters and brothers and their spouses: Emily (Egnac Janulewiez) (John) Tiwald, Josephine (Tony) Kielian, Louis (Marge) Niedbalski, Floyd (Helen) Niedbalski, Dominic Niedbalski, Ben (Eleanor) Niedbalski, Leo Niedbalski, Ted (Marlene) Niedbalski, Edward Niedbalski and Stanley Niedbalski
Sisters in law: Joyce Niedbalski, Victoria (Bill) Czapla, Gertrude (Marcel) Czapla; Brother-in-law Tony Incontro

Memorials are suggested to St Anthony School or Scotus Central Catholic