Wilma May (Robinson) Droge

Wilma May Droge, 96, Pawnee City, was born December 24, 1925 and died January 24, 2022 in Beatrice. Wilma was born to Don and Ora Robinson in Omaha and grew up in Ashland, Nebraska. Favorite childhood memories include Sunday family dinners with aunts and uncles from Omaha along the Platte River, reading lots of books and learning distance swimming at Linoma Beach. Graduated Ashland High School in 1943, attended teacher’s training at Nebraska Wesleyan, taught two rural schools in Cass and Saunders County. While at Wesleyan, Wilma joined Delta Zeta sorority and made lifelong friends. After rural school teaching, Wilma worked in Lincoln at a public library, then Nebraska Farmer magazine.

During this time she met Lyle Droge who had returned to college after serving in World War II. They married in 1949 and moved to DuBois where they lived and raised their three children, Doreen, Bruce and Dale, then moved to Pawnee City in 1997. Member of the United Presbyterian Church in Pawnee City where she was an Ordained Elder and Deacon, P.E.O., Chapter AV and the American Legion Auxiliary of DuBois. She and Lyle were 4-H leaders, and she served on the DuBois School Board and Educational Service Unit #4. Wilma served on the Foundation Board of the Pawnee City Public Library, including two years as president. Wilma taught at Union rural school district north of DuBois, DuBois, District 29 southwest of Pawnee City, then fifth grade in Pawnee City.

After retirement, Wilma and Lyle enjoyed traveling with good friends Mike and Betty Ganzel and meeting Wilma’s siblings and sorority sisters for reunions. Lyle and Wilma enjoyed attending activities of their grandchildren in Pawnee City and Madison, South Dakota.  Wilma moved to Pawnee City Assisted Living in December of 2019, then to the PEO Home in Beatrice.

She is survived by her daughter, Doreen Droge, of Hickman; sons, Bruce (Karin), Pawnee City; Dale (Ginny Freitag), Madison, SD; grandchildren: Leah Droge (Chad Petska), Lincoln, Jed (Sarah) Droge, Tecumseh, Jarrell (Ali) Freitag, Sioux Falls, SD, Colin Droge, Omaha, Simone Droge, Lincoln; great grandchildren, Everest and Theodore Droge, Tecumseh, Caprianha Freitag, Sioux Falls, SD; sister, Jane Preston, Springfield, MO; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Howard and Lola Jean House, Liberty, MO; seven nephews, 11 nieces (16 spouses; Ardell Chauza of Table Rock and Judy Mueller of Dawson who helped Lyle and Wilma stay at home for many years; and a host of relatives and friends.

Wilma was preceded in death by: husband, Lyle, grandson, Julian Freitag, brothers and sisters-in-law, Warren (Rosemary), (Betty) Robinson, Lyle (Wanda) Robinson, Donald (Dorothy) Robinson, brother-in-law, Smith Preston, four nephews, three nieces (three spouses)

Celebration of Life Service at 2:00 p.m., Friday, June 24, 2022 at the First United Presbyterian Church/Christian Church, Pawnee City, Nebraska.  Pastor Diane Morgan officiating. A livestream of services is available on the Wherry Mortuary/Monument Facebook page and also a link is available at the bottom of Wilma's webpage for those not able to attend the services.

 Visitation from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. with family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, 2022  at First United Presbyterian Church/Christian Church, Pawnee City, Nebraska.  Inurnment at the Pawnee City Cemetery, Pawnee City, Nebraska.  Memorials Pawnee City Public Library Foundation.  Online condolences may be left @ www.wherrymortuary.com

Services entrusted to Wherry Mortuary, 919 G Street, Pawnee City, Nebraska. 

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