Lavaine “Lou” Mae (Ulrich) Prinz, 85, of West Point, died Sunday, November 19, 2023 at South Haven Living Center in Wahoo.  Memorial Mass will be 9:30am on Saturday, December 2 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in West Point.  Burial will be at St. Michael’s Cemetery with lunch following at the GACC Cafeteria.  Visitation will be Friday, December 1 from 3:00pm to 7:00pm with a Vigil Service at 7:00pm at Stokely Funeral Home.  Family will be present at visitation from 6:00pm to 7:00pm.  Memorials may be made for Mass Intentions for Lou.  Arrangements by Stokely Funeral Home.

Born October, 31, 1938 as the only child to Wendelin and Irma (Eikmeier) Ulrich.  She was raised on a dairy farm just outside of Snyder, NE. They had cows and chickens (and Lou hated chickens and birds ever since). She attended Snyder High where she was a cheerleader, played in band (flute, clarinet, drums, organ) and participated in sports. She was the oldest grandchild of Conrad and Mamie Eikmeier and was surrounded with numerous Aunts, Uncles and cousins from both the Eikmeier and Ulrich sides. Playing cards, attending baseball games, weddings, and reunions was common place.

She attended College of St. Mary’s in Omaha where she received a teaching degree and later taught at St. Leo’s elementary school in Omaha. She married Marvin Joseph Prinz on July 23, 1959 at St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Snyder with an extremely large reception/dance at the Snyder ballroom. Lou and Marv were good dancers!

Her parents moved to West Point to be close to Lou and Marv and their 4 grandkids, Lois, Lori, Mike and Karen (4 kids in 5 years) who lived 4 miles outside of West Point on John and Theresa Prinz’s family farm.  Lou was, to say the least, a busy mom, farmers wife (cattle, corn, beans and alfalfa) dogs, cats and a large garden. Marv and Lou traveled to Europe a couple times and traveled the U.S. following the Nebraska football team from coast to coast. They also frequented Las Vegas and Colorado for skiing, and as Marv would say, “had a really good life”.

Lou bowled, played women’s softball, and she and Sarah Hunke were the first Volleyball coaches for the Central Catholic girls team. She was in Catholic Daughters, extension club, saddle club and various other organizations. Lou did adoration from 1-2:30am on Thursday nights for years. She headed up fashion shows, which she made her kids participate in, and in so many ways, just had a ball.

In 1977 Marv and Lou moved to an acreage 1 mile outside of West Point. Their home had a really nice bar and was the gathering point for many many holidays. They owned Marv’s 275 for many years. Lou ran their business the Hanging Tree in West Point. She also worked at the Spence Shop (beautiful woman’s clothing store) in Fremont. Lou’s smile and “style” was always amazing. Her final employment was as a lunch lady for GACC. A job she really loved, seeing all the kids in school. “Thank you” and “No Thank You” were her signature teaching moments.

As a mother and grandmother, Lou was always there for her kids. We had numerous vacations with Lou and Marv.  Babysitting, playing cards, special dinners and parties, holidays, sporting events, Creighton and Huskers games, grandchildren milestones in sports and sacraments. Trips to each of her kids’ homes. We always had fun! 

Lou is survived by her husband Marvy Prinz of West Point, daughter Lois & Joe Akers of Granbury, TX, daughter Lori & Martin Guilfoyle of Ft. Scott, KS, son Mike & Kim Prinz of Round Rock, TX and daughter Karen & Johnny Klein of Denver, CO.  She has 10 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren: Rachel (Akers) & Jason Ferguson of West Des Moines, IA and their three kids, Cayden, Collin, & Carolyn, Ryan Akers & Nicole of Wahoo, NE and their kids Kali and Jameson, Stephen Akers, Nick Akers & soon to be Megan Akers of Auburn, MI, Christin Guilfoyle of Denver, Anna Guilfoyle at Kansas State, Kyle Prinz, Carolyn (Prinz) & Art Vela, Jeffrey Prinz all of Round Rock, TX and Charlie Klein at USD.