Funeral services for 89-year old Leta Marx of Rushville, NE, are Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at 10:00 AM at Grace Lutheran Church in Gordon, NE.
Interment will be at 12:30 at Fairview Cemetery, Rushville, NE
Visitation will be Monday May 2, 2022, from 6-8:00 pm at Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home, Gordon, NE.
A memorial has been established for Grace Lutheran Church and donations may be sent in care of Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home, PO Box 366, Gordon, NE 69343.
Online condolences may be left at www.chamberlainchapel.com
Leta Leotis Dreyer was born on July 31, 1932, at home east of Rushville, NE, the third child of Bernard Christian Jacob (Jake) and Iva Leah Margaret (Bare) Dreyer. She passed away on April 26, 2022 at her home on Marx Mountain.
The family later moved to the Bare farm south of Rushville where Leta attended country school and graduated from Rushville High School in 1950. She attended Chadron State College Normal training and started teaching in rural schools in Sheridan County. She boarded with families in the school district.
At the 1959 St Patrick’s Day Dance, Arlan Marx asked Leta to dance. They dated until Friday, May 13, 1960, when they eloped to Hot Springs, SD.
They lived on the Mills Crane place until 1989 when they moved 2 miles north to the old Sweeney place and converted Fairview District 126 Rural School to their present home – Marx Mountain. They were married for 57 years before Arlan’s passing.
Our mom was a sassy, fun-loving person. She milked cows, chased cows, kids and after Arlan, as she was his hired man for many years. She loved to putter in her garden and flower beds. She built many birdhouses to decorate the lane from the county road we all call Birdhouse Lane. She loved to hand quilt and tole paint.
She hosted coffee breaks multiple times a day – just to have another cookie! She loved her family and her grandkids would warn their friends “You are going to love my grandma!” Leta had beautiful penmanship and won the Nebraska Handwriting contest in the age 50 & over category.
Leta was proud that the Bare Farm, later purchased by Arlan, Leta and their sons, was awarded the Aksarben Pioneer and Heritage Family Award in 2006 for being in the family for 100 years.
In 2015, with Leta was recognized as the matriarch, the Marx family was presented with the Family Tree Award from Chadron State College for having 3 generations attend the school
Leta is survived by her daughters Laura (Buster) Kearns, Gordon, Marla Marx, Scottsbluff, sons Neal Marx, Rushville; and Gale (Kim) Marx, Rushville, grandchildren Sean (Tessa) Mayben Weatherford, Texas; Matthew Mayben, Sidney, NE; Kerisa Marx, Chadron, NE, Kolten (Abby) Marx, Chadron, NE and Kaelob Marx, Hay Springs, NE, great-grandchildren Trent, Sienna and Grady Mayben, Weatherford, TX and Estes Mayben, Sidney, NE.
Leta was preceded in death by husband Arlan, brother Lloyd Dreyer, and by 4 hours, sister Leah Dirks. Leta carried the lunch pail for the last time!
Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home of Gordon is in charge of arrangements for Leta Marx.