Barbara J. (Van Ert) Furley

Mass of Christian Burial for Barbara J. Furley, age 84, of Branson West, MO, formerly of Norfolk, will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, March 26, 2021 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Norfolk.  Reverend Scott Schilmoeller will be the celebrant.  Interment will be in Prospect Hill Cemetery.  Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday with a 7:00 p.m. Vigil Service at the Home for Funerals Chapel, 708 Georgia Avenue.  The Mass will be live streamed on the Sacred Heart Parish Facebook page.  Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements. 

She passed away Sunday, March 21, 2021 at the Wedgewood Gardens in Branson West, Missouri. 

Barbara Jean was born April 16, 1936 in Elgin, NE to Louis and Bernadine (Schumacher) Van Ert. She was baptized in St. Boniface Church in Elgin, NE and confirmed at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Tilden, NE.  When Barb was young, the Van Ert Family moved to a farm southeast of Oakdale, NE. Her elementary and middle school years were spent at Antelope County Rural School District 127 and she graduated from Oakdale High School.

Barbara married James W. Furley on June 17, 1961 at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Tilden, NE. Jim and Barb were blessed with five children. The Furley family made their home in Madison, NE before settling in Norfolk, NE in 1966. Barb enjoyed an active life full of community service, work, and church. She was recognized for her efforts by receiving the Tourism Outstanding Person Award from the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, Norfolk Women’s Chamber Pat-on-the-back award and selected as the LaVitsef Outstanding Citizen of Norfolk. She was also a member of Clowns for Norfolk, an adult member of the Girl Scouts of America and a forty-year participant of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court St Monica #877. Barb’s work history consisted of employment with Central Finance, Gillette Dairy and Norfolk First Federal Lincoln where she retired as a Senior Financial Counselor in 1998.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Ronda and Gary Schiermeier of Kimberling City, MO, four sons and their spouses Randy and Sheila Furley of North Platte, NE, Bob and Shelly Furley of Omaha, NE, Roger Furley of Houston, TX, Patrick Furley and Bryan Laudun of Rockwall, TX, one sister and spouse Norma and Lyle Schwarting of Lincoln, NE, two sister-in-laws Mary Van Ert of North Platte, NE, Marti Raiser of Leon, IA,  nine grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

 She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim, her parents, four sisters and three brothers.

Memorials have been established with the American Diabetes Association, the American Cancer Society, and the Norfolk Catholic Schools Foundation.

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