Mary Jane “Janie” Larsen, 78, of Grand Island, Nebraska formerly of Burwell, Nebraska died December 27, 2019 at her home.
Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 31, 2019 at Hitchcock Funeral Home in Burwell, Nebraska. Burial will be in Cottonwood Cemetery in Burwell. Pastor Alan Petersen will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Burwell Ambulance Supply Fund.
Janie was born December 9, 1941 at Burwell, Nebraska to Elmer and Bernice (Schulz) Brockman. They lived on a farm southeast of Burwell. She went to grade school at District 14 and graduated from Burwell High School in the class of 1960. When she was a child, she had cats, dogs and her horse, KOKO. Janie enjoyed listening to the music of Elvis and Guy Lombardo. She worked for “Jupe” Anderson at Anderson’s Grocery Store after graduation.
Janie met and married her best friend and the love of her life, Gary Larsen on December 3, 1961. They lived on a ranch thirteen miles east of Burwell. Their daughter Janet was born in April of 1967. Janie enjoyed the ranch life, working along the side of her husband with their Hereford cattle. She also enjoyed going to dances and sewing most of her clothes. She worked in the office at the Ericson Sale Barn when it first opened and she also worked at Johnson’s Store in Burwell. She served on the election board for thirty years at District 4-M school house. Later in life she enjoyed embordering, crocheting and making wooden crafts. In April of 2011 the sold their ranch and moved to Grand Island. They were married fifty years on December 3, 2011.
Janie is survived by her husband Gary Larsen of Grand Island, Nebraska. Her daughter, Janet Sanders of Burwell, Nebraska and nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.
Janie was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Richard Brockman.
