Oleta Irene (Jack) Harbour

Oleta Irene Harbour, 91, formerly of Stella, Nebraska, passed away on Tuesday, September 25, 2018, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Auburn, Nebraska.  She was born on May 20, 1927 in Humboldt, Nebraska to John and Katie Mae (Workman) Jack.

She lived in Humboldt and attended school, graduating in 1945 from Humboldt High School.  After graduation she worked for the U.S. Postal Service and helped deliver mail, in her fathers’ jeep, in the rural Humboldt areas.

Oleta was united in marriage to Jesse Leon Harbour on January 4, 1947 at the Humboldt Christian Church.  Three children were born to this marriage. They moved to a farm near Stella in 1949 and in 1971 they moved into Stella.  Oleta was very active in the Stella Community Church, singing in the choir, Bible study and the Women’s Circle group. She enjoyed membership in the Rebekah Lodge in Humboldt, WWW Women’s Club, GFWC, Stella Research Club and held offices in each organization.  She enjoyed cardinals and her collection of cardinal figurines, pictures, etc. filled her home and most of her grandchildren, referred to the red bird as “Grammy’s Bird”.  Grammy enjoyed music, movies, sporting events, always ready to drive friends to appointments, reading books, and loved to knit many things, but she was known for her soft baby afghans. Oleta never kept count of how many of them she made, but she always seemed to have at least one already made, when someone would call. Oleta was mostly a homemaker, but worked out of the home at several different times, office work; cook at the Howe school and Southeast Consolidated; kitchen help in an Auburn restaurant, support staff for Casey Witzenburg funeral home at the Stella location, when needed; and for several years she went back to her roots when she worked part-time at the Stella Post Office.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, husband, Leon; son Richard Leon Harbour, granddaughter-in-law Shana Koch and twin great-granddaughters.

Oleta is survived by her daughters Jan and husband Mike Mason of Stella, Kay and husband Don Koch of Lincoln, daughter-in-law Pam Muse of Auburn, grandchildren: Arron (Amy) Mason of Wymore; Jarrod (Ann) Mason of Stella; Jynae (Jeremy) Clapper of Boise, ID; Corey Harbour of Orlando, FL; Stacy (Bill) Boden of Firth, Kathy (Tim) Dettman of Avoca; Kimberly Nichols of Lincoln, Krystal (Troy) Nickels of Johnson, Kandace Nichols of Lincoln; Jonathan (Julie) Koch of Lincoln; Jeremy Koch of Lincoln, 23 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

A family service will be held at a later date.

Memorials to the family for future designation.

Condolences can be shared online at www.wherrymortuary.com.

Services are entrusted to Wherry Mortuary – 207 N. Nemaha St. – Humboldt, Nebraska 68376 (402) 862-2915.

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