Nina Russell

Broken Bow, NE- Nina Russell age 89, of Broken Bow died Thursday December 13, 2012 at her home near Broken Bow. Funeral services will be held on Saturday December 15, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. in the United Methodist Church in Broken Bow with Rev. Todd Karges officiating. Visitation will be Friday December 14th from 8 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow with the family greeting friends 4 Pm to 6 PM at Govier Bros. Mortuary. Burial will be in the Ansley Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Health Connect at Home (Hospice) or the donor’s choice. Nina B. (Samp) Russell was born February 25, 1923 to Roland and Mabel (McAbee) Samp on a farm south of Mason City where she spent her childhood. She graduated from Mason City High School. She taught all grades in Tufford country school north of the Samp farm. She often talked of riding a horse to school where she taught. Nina was united in marriage to the love of her life, Alvin Russell on March 9, 1947. To this union were born three daughters Barbara (Dennis) Cramer of Broken Bow, Becky (Gary) Lawrence of Alliance and Nancy (Randy) Scheidies of Minden. Nina helped Alvin on the farm in the field, milking cows, and whatever else needed to be done! They raised cattle, pigs, chickens, turkeys, dogs, cats and a few stray rabbits! She was active in Extension Club and the E.U.B. Church (United Methodist) She taught Sunday School and led a youth group at the church. She was active in the P.T.A. at Berwyn when her daughters were going to school there. Nina worked at the Custer County Welfare Office for twenty one years until her retirement on February 29, 1988. She loved to garden and enjoyed growing new crops like cotton and peanuts to show children how they grew. She raised beautiful flowers and knew the names of all of them! She enjoyed sewing and always made all three of her daughters and herself new dresses for Easter and Christmas. One time we were still sewing the buttons on her sleeve as we went to Church for Easter services. Among many things she taught her daughters how to sew. They each made their own wedding dresses! Nina loved to make all sorts of Christmas candy and cookies and give plates of them away to family and friends. Her favorite holiday was Christmas. She was always the first one to the Christmas tree to open gifts after our traditional family soup supper on Christmas Eve. She was an excellent cook, cherished wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, aunt, cousin and friend. She is survived by her husband, all three daughters and their spouses, six grandchildren Tami (Joel) Kershner of Hastings, Todd Cramer of Manhattan, Kansas, Erick (April) Cramer of Lincoln, Kent (Lisa) Shaw of Broken Bow, Brian Lawrence of Alliance, Whitney (Tim) Stone of Kearney and eleven great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Ardelle Green, Maxine Urwiller and Larry Samp, and one grandchild Nichole Leann Scheidies along with several aunts, uncles, nephews and cousins.