Loretta Ann (Kaup) Wewel

Loretta died Thursday, December 8, 2011 at Morys Haven in Columbus.

Loretta Ann Wewel was born June 16, 1910 on the family farm near Menominee, Nebraska to Paul and Ida (Klienschmidt) Albrecht. She was the fifth of eight children raised on a farm near Menominee. Loretta and her other siblings were schooled at the St. Boniface school in Menominee. As a young lady she was employed at a soda/pharmacy store and also offered housekeeping services in and around the Menominee community. She also was a housekeeper for the St. Boniface church pastor for two years. In 1932 Loretta was united in marriage to Leo Herman Kaup of West Point, Nebraska. To this union five children were born; John, Paul, Sharron, Michael and Kathleen. The couple lived in Genoa, Nebraska where Mr. Kaup established the local newspaper, the Genoa Leader Times. He also was owner, editor and publisher. On October 5, 1952 Mr. Kaup passed away suddenly, leaving the newspaper and printing business to Loretta. She managed the newspaper and printing business for twenty-one years being the editor and publisher. On November 3, 1973 she retired and was joined in matrimony to Joseph Wewel of Basset, Nebraska at St. Jude and Simon Catholic Church in Phoenix, Arizona. They put their roots down on his ranch near Newport, Nebraska and enjoyed their retirement years as "snow birds" spending the winter months in Yuma, Arizona. They also vacationed the south and northwest pacific. Joe passed away suddenly in 1990 after seventeen years of marriage. After Joe's death Loretta moved to an independent living center in Columbus to be closer to family and friends. She lived there for twenty-one years and celebrated her one-hundredth birthday in June 2010. In August of the same year she moved to Mory's Haven in Columbus where she spent the remaining years of her life. She was one-hundred-one years and six months of age. Loretta cherished her children and was dedicated to her family and the business. She was a devoted Catholic, belonging to the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Altar Society and was a member of the Genoa Chamber of Commerce. She loved to play cards and enjoyed going to horse races. She loved to cook and bake for her family, sew for her children, gardening, needle work and crocheting. She will be missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by:

Daughter: Sharron A. Pleiss of Omaha, NE
Son: Michael N. (LaVonne) Kaup of Columbus, NE
Daughter: Kathleen R. (Robert) Yates of Lincoln, NE
Daughter-in-law: Lillian Kaup of Genoa, NE
Sister: Ida Wewel of Stuart, NE
Nine Grandchildren
Sixteen Great Grandchildren
A host of relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by:

First Husband: Leo Herman Kaup
Second Husband: Joseph Wewel
Father: Paul Albrecht
Mother: Ida Albrecht
Son: John D. Kaup
Son: Paul G. Kaup
Four Grandsons: Steven H. Kaup, Michael G. Kaup, Christopher "Chip" Kaup and Jay Webster
One Infant Granddaughter: Loretta Arlene Webster
Brothers and Sisters: Cresenta Loecker, Leonard Albrecht, Leona Kruse, Gertrude Goeden, Hilda (Loecker) Obermire and Peter Albrecht