Edna Schwab

Edna Schwab, age 104 of York, NE died on Sunday, December 18, 2011 at York. She was born in Imperial, NE on June 14, 1907, the first child of Albert and Alvina (Hoffman) Hust. Edna was baptized November 19, 1907. When Edna was 11, her parents moved the family back to Sutton, NE, the birthplace of both parents. They joined the Hope Reform Church in Sutton. Edna was confirmed and joined the church’s membership at age 14. Edna attended the rural school in District 66 and Farmers Valley Mill. She graduated from Sutton High School in 1926. They were the first Sutton class to wear caps and gowns.

Edna married Benjamin Carl Schwab on August 22, 1926. The couple’s first home was on land they farmed south of Sutton, which they rented from Ben’s father. They became the parents of three daughters. In 1942, they moved into Sutton, where Ben was employed in a grocery store. In 1947, Ben, Edna, and their daughters moved to York. Ben worked at the Holcomb Hatchery for 36 years, and Edna was hired at Brown McDonald department store. She worked there for 5 years before joining the Bell Clinic as one of five women who worked alongside the doctors, doing everything from sterilizing equipment to performing laboratory tests. Edna greatly enjoyed this work, which she did for 10 years before taking time off to help care for her 10 year old grandson, Bobby Townsend. After he died of cancer, Edna worked for 2 years at York General Hospital, then seven years at the King’s Court store. Edna retired at age 76.

Ben and Edna joined East Ave United Brethren Church in York, where Edna taught Sunday school for 19 years and received her 50-year member pin. Edna joined First United Church when East Ave Church closed. Edna was also a member of Hope Circle, the Mending Club, and the York General Hospital Auxiliary, and was a blood bank volunteer. She and Ben had fond memories of their trips to Nova Scotia and Hawaii.

Her daughters Delores Townsend and LaVon Rasmussen of York survive Edna. Others surviving her are grandchildren Barbara Ann Townsend and Linda (Rasmussen) Weber of Lincoln; Joanne (Urbach) Moody and husband Neville of Livermore, CA; Susan Urbach of Norman, OK; Steven Morris Townsend of Hong Kong; and Scott Rasmussen and wife Roxane of Lincoln.

Great-grandchildren are Jason Light and wife Christy of White Bear Lake, MN; Tara (Weber) Kawar and husband Mark of Falls Church, VA; Jennifer Light of White Bear Lake, MN; Megan Weber of Lincoln; Tanya (Rasmussen) Rezac and husband Brian of Kansas City, KS and Miranda Rasmussen of Lincoln.

Great-great grandchildren are Autumn Renee Light of White Bear Lake, MN; Hudson Brian Rezac and Cooper Scott Rezac of Kansas City, KS and Stella Clare Kawar of Falls Church, VA.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Ben, her daughter Mary Urbach of Sioux City, IA, her parents, her brother Rufus Hust and sister Esther McDonald both of Sutton; sons-in-law Loren Townsend, Jim Urbach and Richard Rasmussen and grandson Robert Stuart Townsend.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 23, 2011 at the First United Methodist Church in York with the Reverend Art Phillips officiating. Burial was in York’s Greenwood Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the family.