Clara Lillian Jungck

Clara Lillian Jungck, age 96, passed away suddenly at Pioneer Manor Nursing Home in Hay Springs on Dec. 31, 2015. She was the oldest child of Charles Abold and Florence (Melcher) Abold. She was born on Easter Sunday, April 19, 1919 in the old Rushville Hospital on Highway 20. She was orphaned at the age of 3, when her mother died following the birth of her sister, Florence. Her father took care of her when he could, but she was in and out of orphanages and spent a lot of time with her grandparents.

Clara graduated from Rushville High School in 1939, and on March 1, 1940, she married Lawrence Lulow. To this union were born two girls, Elaine and Patsy. She and Lawrence farmed together until his death from cancer in 1970.

On May 19, 1971, she married Walter Jungck. They enjoyed traveling, fishing, and dancing and won a few Senior Citizen dance contests. She and Walt would get up early for years on Memorial Day to place flags on the veterans’ graves. They were active in the DAV and every holiday she would make 40 or more plates of cookies and take them to the VA Hospital and Veterans Home in Hot Springs. She was very generous and made sure everyone in the family got cookies too.

She was confirmed on April 14, 1935 at the Bethesda Lutheran in Hot Springs, S.D. In the 1960’s she taught Bible school and was a lifelong member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church.

She was a caregiver to Walt for over 30 years. When he had to go to the nursing home, she moved in with her daughter, Elaine. After suffering a stroke she lived in nursing homes until her death.

She is survived by her daughters Elaine Eckhardt and Randy and Pat, Jason, Ben and Shelia Kittinger. One brother-in-law Lyle (Carol) DePoorter, three sisters-in-laws Margaret Anne Kniep (Loren), Maxine Jungck and Millie Jungck and a host of extended family. 

Preceding her in death were her husbands, Lawrence and Walter, her parents, her brother Floyd Abold and sister Florence Jenkins.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, 10:30 a.m. at Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home, Gordon, Neb. Burial will be held at Fairview Cemetery, Rushville, Neb. A memorial has been established and donations may be sent in care of Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home, PO Box 366, Gordon, NE 69343.