Emily Reestman

1931 — 2014

Emily Reestman, 83 of Elgin, NE, passed away Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at Community Pride Care Center in Battle Creek, NE.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, December 15, 2014 at St. Bonaventure Church in Raeville, NE, with Rev. Ross Burkhalter officiating. Interment will follow in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the church with a 7:30 p.m. wake service. Huffman-Levander Funeral Home of Elgin, NE is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.huffmanlevander.com.

Emily Ann Reestman, daughter of Emil and Henrietta (Lordemann) Bigge, was born September 25, 1931 on a farm southeast of Petersburg, NE and moved with her family to town in 1935. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John the Baptist Church and attended St. John’s Catholic School in Petersburg, graduating in 1949. She moved to Omaha and worked for Mutual of Omaha until 1955.

On April 11, 1955, Emily married Joseph William Reestman at St. John the Baptist Church in Petersburg. The first years of married life, they lived on farms southeast of Oakdale, NE. To this union six children were born: Barbara, Kenneth, Karen, Susan, Gary and Mark. In 1980, they moved to their farm 6 ½ miles east of Elgin where they currently reside. They raised grain, hay and livestock, and Emily kept the farm’s books.

Emily was a member of St Bonaventure Christian Mothers, Parish Council and Farmette Extension Club. She enjoyed her family, faith, family history, reading, crossword puzzles, gardening and growing flowers.

She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Joe of Elgin; six children: Barbara (Roger) Meyer of Wayne; Kenneth (Joyce) Reestman of Elgin; Karen (Kent) Riesberg of Papillion; Susan Busch, Gary Reestman, and Mark (Diane) Reestman, all of Norfolk; 11 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; 3 sisters: Agatha Menon of Sierra Madre, CA; Mary Jane (Dean) Henn of Elgin; Erma (Russell) Eggerling of Norfolk; one brother: Henry Bigge of Fullerton; brother-in-law: Ray (Catherine) Reestman of Elgin; sister-in-law: Betty Ann (Jerome) Temme of Petersburg; along with many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Emily was preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Henrietta Bigge; brother and sister in infancy; parents-in-law: Agnes and Gerhard Reestman; granddaughter April Riesberg; brothers-in-law: Evans Menon and Norbert Reestman; sisters-in-law Irene (Bernard) Camp, Alice (Lawrence) Schmitz and Marie (Richard) Zwingman; along with several nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.