Loris Wright

Broken Bow, NE – Loris E. Wright age 92 of Broken Bow died Sunday, January 14, 2024 at the Brookestone View Care Home in Broken Bow.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 18, 2024, at 11:00 AM at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow with Pastor Phil Sloat officiating.  The burial will be held at 2:00 PM Thursday afternoon at the Mason City Cemetery.  Govier Brothers Mortuary of Broken Bow is in charge of the arrangements.  A memorial is suggested to the Custer County Foundation for the Mason City Cemetery Fund. A visitation will be held on Wednesday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM at Govier Brothers Mortuary with the family greeting friends 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.  Online condolences may be left at www.govierbrothers.com 

     Loris Elaine Meier was born at home south of Mason City Nebraska, the only child of Otto H and Ethel (Fitzpatrick) Meier on January 6, 1932.  Loris was raised on the family farm 5 miles south of Mason City Nebraska.  She attended grade school at the Beechville school and attended high school and graduated from Mason City High School with a Normal Training certificate in 1949.  After high school Loris taught school at the Basin School District south of Mason City from September 1950 – May 1953.

     On June 4, 1953, Loris married her high school sweetheart Johnny B Wright.  They were married at the family farm south of Mason City while Johnny was home on leave from the US Navy.  After the wedding, the couple drove to Los Angeles, CA where Johnny was to complete the last 6 months of his service time in the US Navy.  They rented an apartment in Los Angeles where Loris lived while Johnny was overseas.  After Johnny completed his military service, the couple returned to Nebraska and lived in Kearney for a short time and then settled in Broken Bow which became their permanent home. 

     Their first home was a small brick home at 1355 South H.  It was while they lived there that their 2 children were born:  Jeanne Ranee’ on August 18, 1959, and Kevin Lee on August 26, 1961. The family eventually outgrew their small home and built their last home at 1144 North 13^th themselves.  They were quite a team as Johnny did all the construction, plumbing, and electrical while Loris did most of the finish work and cleanup.  The family moved into their new home in 1965-1966.

     Loris and Johnny were members of the First Baptist Church until 2007and then the United Methodist Church from 2007 until Loris’s death.  Loris was a member of the Town and Country Extension Club and was a leader of the 4-H club “The Sunshine Gals”, where she taught the girls sewing and cooking.  Johnny and Loris also enjoyed playing cards and were part of several card clubs.  Loris was a homemaker most of her life but did work at the Broken Bow High School as a cook in the lunchroom for about 10 years from 1976 – 1985. 

     After Johnny and Loris both retired, they traveled with friends and family to 48 states, Canada, Mexico, and Alaska.  The traveling was great, but Loris’s greatest joy was her family.  She was always available to help her children and grandchildren.  She and Johnny rarely missed any of the kid’s activities.  There were lots of sleepovers, tea parties, and cooking lessons with the grandkids.

     When they weren’t with family or traveling, Johnny and Loris gardened.  Johnny planted and Loris canned – Lots!  Johnny was also notorious for bringing home buckets of chokecherries for Loris to can, make jelly, syrup, pies, and wine.  Loris was also a great cook and was well known in the family for her pies. 

     Loris was also an amazing seamstress.  There wasn’t anything she couldn’t sew, mend, or alter.  Jeanne never had a store bought dress until she started Kindergarten.  She also had a love for crocheting.  All family members have been the recipient of at least one of her crocheted doilies. 

     Loris’s devotion didn’t stop with her children and grandchildren.  Johnny was in nursing home facilities for approximately 5 ½ years until his death in March 2020.  Loris rarely missed a day with him at the homes.  She would arrive around 7:00am. and would return home after supper.  Their love and devotion to each other was rare. They were married 66 years at the time of Johnny’s death. 

     As the result of a fall, Loris became a resident of Brookestone View in September 2021 and remained there until her death on January 13, 2024. The residents and staff of Brookestone View quickly became her adopted family.

     Loris was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Ethel (Fitzpatrick) Meier, husband, Johnny, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Garnet and Maxine Wright, and brother-in-law Milan (Mike) Holm.  She is survived by her children Jeanne Rapp (Kevin), and Kevin Wright (Bonnie).  Grandchildren Jeff Rapp (Heather) of Hickman, Nebraska, Justin Rapp (Amanda) of North Platte, Nebraska, Jordon Rapp (Ashley) of Seward, Nebraska, Mikensie Wright Oakeson (Bret), of Hastings, Nebraska, and Patrick Wright of Kansas City.  Great grandchildren Keely and Colin Rapp of Hickman, Nebraska, Gracelyn and Jada Rapp of North Platte, Nebraska, Eleanor Rapp of Seward, Nebraska, special granddaughter Wiebke Siemann of Hannover, Germany, sister-in-law Joyce (Wright) Holm of Pocatello, Idaho, and many nieces and nephews.