Marlene Niedbalski

Marlene Niedbalski, age 86, of Kearney NE, formerly of Columbus NE, died Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at her home, Prairie View Gardens Assisted Living.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, June 20, at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Columbus NE with Rev. Ross Burkhalter officiating. The Mass will be restricted to family members. Public visitation will be Friday 4-7, at McKown Funeral Home, with Covid-19 restrictions in place and the family will not be present.  Burial will be at St. Bonaventure Catholic Cemetery in Columbus. Due to restrictions, the family funeral will be broadcast at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, June 20 on the McKown Funeral Home Facebook Page by clicking here .

Marlene was born on January 26, 1934 in Beemer NE to Frank and Vlasta (Kmoch) Hanak. She lived in Beemer, Dodge NE and Avoca IA before the family moved to Columbus when Marlene was a young girl. She attended Columbus Grade School and graduated from Kramer High School in Columbus. On April 25, 1953 she married Ted Niedbalski in Stockton, CA while he served in the U.S. Navy. They had met while both were in high school in Columbus. Ted and Marlene celebrated their 65th Anniversary in April, 2018. Ted passed away later that year.

Marlene enjoyed employment at Pitney-Bowes Corporation in Omaha NE, and Montgomery Ward, Sears, and Gerhold Inc. in Columbus in the accounting departments. She retired in 1999. She was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church, St. Theresa Sodality and served as a Red Cross volunteer. She enjoyed her family, traveling, reading, crocheting and gardening.

She is survived by her children: Susan (Edwin) Odom, Moscow ID; Steve (Kathy) Niedbalski, Kearney NE; Cindy (Matt) Johnston, Centennial CO, and Jane (R. Scott) Foutch, Kearney NE; fifteen grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren, sister Elaine Campbell of Oshkosh NE, sisters-in-law Dorothy Spies, Greeley NE; Barbara Incontro, Omaha NE; Myrtle Niedbalski, Bellevue NE; and brother-in-law Walter Niedbalski, Columbus NE, and four Godchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Marlene was preceded in death by her husband Ted, her parents, daughter Sharon Niedbalski Johnson, infant grandson James Foutch, infant great-grandson Damien Clark, brothers-in-law: Don Campbell, Louis Niedbalski, Floyd Niedbalski, Dominic Niedbalski, Ben Niedbalski, Leo Niedbalski, Edward Niedbalski, and Stanley Niedbalski, and sisters-in-law: Emily Tiwald, Josephine Kielian and Joyce Niedbalski.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to St. Anthony Church and School, Columbus NE.

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