Sara Louise (Payne) Conner

Sara Louise (Payne) Conner, 95, died Wednesday, March 10, 2010, at The Homestead in Kearney, Nebraska. Sara was born January 29, 1915, at Overton, Nebraska to John and Catherine (Griffith) Payne. Sara graduated from Overton High School with the class of 1933. Following her graduation she spent the next five years working as a housekeeper for the Falkinburg and Kutz families in Lexington. It was here that she met her future husband. She and Glen Conner were married in 1938 and to this union were born two children, Kenneth and Marianne. She and Glen celebrated 69 years of marriage in 2007. She was a member of the Overton Methodist Church until 1938 at which time she transferred her membership to the Lexington United Methodist Church. Sara was a charter member of the Mercury Club. She was also a member of the Mary Cole Circle and the Women’s Society of the church. She also taught Sunday school for several years. She was a member of the Meadowlark Garden Club and Grant Extension Club. She enjoyed crafts, playing the organ, quilting, and reading. Sara loved to cook and was an excellent one. No one ever left her table hungry. Even in her later years when her health was declining she still wanted to feed anyone who came to visit her. This was her way of making her guests feel welcome. She always had a pie, brownies, or angel food cake in the freezer. Glen and Sara spent most of their married life farming northeast of Lexington. In 1960 they had a farm auction and quit farming. After several other business ventures, they eventually settled in California where she became employed with Golden West Junior College in Huntington Beach, California. She was employed in the snack bar of the college and made many good friends in her job. She always enjoyed cooking up something special for the students. She retired from there in 1979. Sara endured 3 hip replacements and a knee replacement after her retirement. They moved back to Wood Lake, Nebraska in 1982 to be near their daughter and family. They traveled many miles with their travel trailer and wintered in Mission, Texas for several winters. Sara’s family was always first in her life. She is survived by a son Ken (Judy) Conner of Huntington Beach, California and a daughter Marianne (Gene) Schlueter of Wood Lake, Nebraska. Grandchildren, Lori (Dirk) Vonheeder of Sioux City, Iowa, Brad (Lisa) Schlueter of Wood Lake, Nebraska; Todd (Janice) Schlueter of Blair, Nebraska; Wendy (Preston) Addison of Cloverdale, California; and Erin Conner of Long Beach, California. Ten great-grandchildren, Bree and Ben Vonheeder, Britley, Trey, and Ty Schlueter, Bailey, Allyson, and McKenna Schlueter, and Finn and Rowan Addison. Also surviving are brothers, Alvie Payne of Kearney and Edwin Payne of Sarasota, Florida, sister-in-law Irene Linn of Lexington, several nephews and one niece also survive. Preceding her in death was her husband, Glen, her parents and parents-in-law, Orville and Mabel Conner, brother, Allen Payne; sisters-in-law, Betty Payne, Ruth Payne, Lavere Payne; and brother-in-law Laverne Linn. Sara’s body was cremated and there will be no visitation. Memorial Services will be held on Monday, April 26, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Lexington, Nebraska with Reverend Todd Karges officiating. Inurnment will be held prior to the Memorial Service at Greenwood Cemetery in Lexington. Memorials have been designated to the Heart Foundation or First United Methodist Church in Lexington. Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington is in charge of arrangements. The family may receive condolences through the funeral home website at reynoldslovefuneralhome.com.