Mabel C. (Nelson) Van Ert

Mass of Christian Burial for Mabel C. (Nelson) Van Ert, 97, Lincoln, formerly of Norfolk, will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, April 27, 2018 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Norfolk.  Reverend Gregory Carl will be the celebrant.  Burial will be in Prospect Hill Cemetery.  Visitation will be Friday one hour prior to Mass at the church.  Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.

She went home to be with the Lord, and all her loved ones who have preceded her, on April 21, 2018.

Mabel Christine was born May 10, 1920 in Armour, South Dakota to her parents Andrew and Dora (Johanneson) Nelson.  At age 6, she and her siblings entered Bethesda Children’s Home following her mother contracting and dying of tuberculosis. She made her home there until age 16. She attended school at Bethesda, Beresford High School at Beresford, SD, and Augustana Academy at Canton, SD. When she was 16, she returned to Lake Andes, S. D. to live with relatives, and graduated from Geddes High School (in Geddes, S.D.). In 1940 she attended Wayne State College (in Wayne, N.E.), and began her career as a teacher in a rural school in Cedar County. During a summer vacation, she went to California and decided to stay and work at the Douglas Aircraft Factory. While living in Los Angeles she met her future husband, Paul Van Ert, who was in the Navy and whose ship was anchored at Long Beach. In 1944, Mabel returned to Nebraska and worked at the Martin Aircraft Plant in Omaha, where she helped build airplanes. Paul received a discharge from the Navy and returned to Nebraska in 1944. They were married on April 9, 1945 at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Tilden, Nebraska, and were blessed with four children, eight grandchildren, and currently eight great-grandchildren. They farmed in the Meadow Grove-Tilden areas until 1988, with Mabel continuing to teach in rural schools in the Madison and Antelope counties. In 1991, they moved to Norfolk, Nebraska, where they lived until Paul’s death in 2005. In 2008, Mabel moved to Mitchell, S.D. to live with her daughter Kathy, and then eventually moved into assisted living. She moved to Lincoln, N.E. in 2015, where she lived until her passing.

Mabel was a member of Sacred Heart Parish, the Altar Society, and Catholic Daughters. Some of her favorite memories were of her time on the farm and family get-togethers with children and grandchildren. She loved music and played piano and organ to everyone’s enjoyment. She also loved to sing hymns and old classics, and was singing songs even in her final days. Another favorite memory was her trip to the Holy land with her daughter Kathy,where she even rode a camel at age 79.

Mabel is survived by son Gary Paul Van Ert (wife Lisa) of Lincoln, N.E., and children Erin Simanic (husband Mladen, children Maksim and Mila), Leslie DeLong (husband A.J., children Bennett and Natalie), Elizabeth, and Emilia Van Ert; daughter Mary Lisa Redding (husband Chuck) of Martell, N.E., and children Kimberly Sebby (husband Brad, and son Elliott), and Kyle Redding (wife Kelsey);  and grandchildren David Schwalm and Jenny Holmes (husband Isaac, children Ian, Logan, and Aiden).

Mabel was preceded in her passing by her parents, husband Paul, daughter Kathleen, son Alan, son-in-law Jerry Schwalm, sister Helen Strid, and brothers Perry and Henry Nelson.

Memorials requested to Cedars Home for Children Foundation in Lincoln, NE.

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