Twilla Jean Hornickel, age 78, of Ord, Nebraska passed away on Monday, December 13, 2021, at Rose Lane Home in Loup City, Nebraska.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 23, 2021, at the Mira Valley United Methodist Church, south of Ord. Rev. Dr. Jeff D. Hale and Pastor Jay Towell will officiate. Burial will be in the Ord City Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Ord Memorial Chapel. Memorials are suggested to Rose Lane Home, AseraCare Hospice, Mira Valley United Methodist Church, or the family’s choice. Ord Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Twilla was born May 21, 1943, at her grandparent’s house south of Ord, Nebraska, to Willard and Thelma (King) Harkness. At the time of her birth, Willard was serving in the Second World War. At a young age, she and her mother joined him for a short time in Medford, Oregon. Twilla grew up on the family farm south of Ord and attended country school through the 8th grade at Hardscrabble School. She then attended Ord High School, graduating in 1961. After graduation, she worked at the Ord Quiz, the Ord Bakery, and had a catering business. She served as a Sunday School teacher throughout her life. She was active in Extension and 4-H and taught many of her grandchildren sewing, baking, gardening, canning and cake decorating. She enjoyed knitting afghan blankets for her newborn grandchildren.
On September 23, 1962, she married Kent Hornickel. They had five children: Kathleen, Steven, Janice, Debra and Janelle. They lived on the farm south of Ord, until moving to town in 2005. After getting her children partially through school, she fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse by returning to school and obtaining her Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) certification. She then worked at Ord Family Health Center, the Valley County Hospital and the Valley County Nursing Home, retiring in 2017.
Twilla is survived by three children and their spouses, Kathy (Mark) Schmidt of Franklin, Nebraska, Steve (Sue) Hornickel of Ord, and Jan (Gary) Howard of Ord; twelve grandchildren, Jamie (Tim) Holmes, Kelsey (Keith) Yeomans, Kristopher Hornickel (Caroline Cook), Kale Schmidt (Tamara Bolar), Emily (Austin) Braun, Taylor Hornickel (Chris Wiedmeier), Richelle Schmidt, Melody Howard (Jason Johnson), Kasey Hornickel, April Wagner, Jayden Hornickel and Trysten Hornickel; great-grandchildren, Kaylyn, Sydnee and Brooklyn Holmes, Destanee, Bronc and Riggin Bolar, Trigg Cunningham, Maya, Kenadie and Maddox Yeomans, with another on the way; siblings, Luella (Dan) Spilinek, Zola (Dennis) Johnson, Phyllis (Earl) Mottl, Gary (Pat) Harkness and Paul (Janet) Harkness; a sister-in-law, Delores Hornickel; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Kent Hornickel of 59 years; her parents, Willard and Thelma Harkness; her parents-in-law, Elmer and Florence Hornickel; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Mervin and Geraldine Hornickel; and daughters, Debra Hornickel and Janelle Hornickel.
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