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Doreen June (Rathke) Leffler, 93, of West Point, died Sunday, January 5, 2025 at Franciscan Healthcare in West Point. Memorial Mass will be 10:30am on Monday, January 13 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in West Point with Reverend Taylor Leffler as celebrant. You may view the live stream of the funeral mass here. Burial will be at St. Michael’s Cemetery with lunch following at the Nielsen Center. Visitation will be Sunday from 5:00pm to 7:00pm with a Vigil Service at 7:00pm at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Memorials may be made to St. Joseph’s Hillside Villa or St. Mary’s Catholic Church Endowment. Arrangements by Stokely Funeral Home.
Doreen was born on June 7, 1931 to Otto and Helena (Wendt) Rathke in Beemer. She attended grade school at St. John’s Lutheran School southwest of Beemer and graduated from Wisner High School in May 1949. A highlight in her life in the early 50’s after high school graduation was working as a waitress in the State Game Lodge in the Black Hills. She felt privileged to be the one to serve President Dwight D. Eisenhower at a special dinner in his honor there.
On September 15, 1956, she was united in marriage to Donald Leffler at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in West Point NE. To this union seven children were born. After her children were grown she worked at various jobs and places. She was very proud of the jobs she held. She was employed at St. Francis Memorial Hospital, Wimmer‘s Meat Products, the GACC cafeteria, and
lastly the West Point News.
She loved her plants and flowers and while raising her children she always had a large garden. She canned hundreds of quarts of vegetables and she loved to bake and cook. Who could forget her famous “Popcorn cake?” She so enjoyed her grandchildren and was always available to babysit, to cook for them, to play with them, or to just visit with them. She attended hundreds of their various celebrations. Her kitchen always had a huge bulletin board full of their pictures and newspaper clippings. Her grandchildren, great grandchildren and most recently a great-great grandson have given her such pride and joy. She beamed at the sight or mention of them!
For many years she had a 3 PM Saturday adoration hour at St. Mary’s. Her faith was very important to her. She enjoyed the last 4 years of her life at St. Joseph’s Hillside Villa in West Point where she made many friends and served as president of the Resident Council, a position she was very proud of! She loved to sit outside at the Villa and enjoy the sunshine and the birds. She loved cheering on the Huskers!
Doreen was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, St. Mary’s Guild, and St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary. She was also a member for many years of the St Mary’s choir and the funeral choir.
Survivors include her sons, Dana (Diane) and Dann (Sheri) of West Point NE, Damian (Tiffanie) of Lincoln NE, Dominic of Fort Collins CO, Darry (Deb) of Plattsmouth NE, and Darren of Lincoln NE; daughter, Dorolyn (Andy) Baumert of Waukee IA, 13 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by Donald Leffler, her parents, five brothers and spouses, Ruben & Beata, Allan & Mary, Leon & Marilyn, Elvern and Marion, and sister Palma Greenwald and her husband Laurence.
Doreen’s family would like to thank the staff at St. Joseph’s Hillside Villa and Franciscan Healthcare for the wonderful care given to her and kindness shown to her.