A funeral mass for 94-year old Millie Wasserburger of Harrison, NE, will be held Sat, June 15, 2024 at 10:00 at the Church of the Nativity in Harrison with Father Arul Innaiah officiating. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Harrison.
A Vigil Service with Rosary will be held Friday, June 14, at 7:00, also at the Church of the Nativity in Harrison.
Online condolences may be left at chamberlainchapel.com
Millie Wasserburger was born on May 25, 1930, in Crawford, NE, to Harry Andrew and Mary Frances (Geiser) Wasserburger. She passed away in her home on May 31, 2024, comforted with the loving care of family and Home Health and Hospice from Chadron Community Hospital and Health Services.
Millie grew up on the family ranch near Montrose, NE. She and her sisters rode their ponies to attend elementary school at District #16, but she also attended Assumption Academy in Chadron, NE; Edgemont High School in Edgemont, SD; and graduated in 1947 from Sioux County High School in Harrison. Following graduation, she attended National College of Business in Rapid City, SD.
Millie’s Catholic faith was her foundation. She was a devout and prayerful woman. She was baptized and confirmed at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Montrose.
After moving to Harrison she became a member of the Church of the Nativity and provided years of service as the organist. She was still climbing the stairs to the choir loft into her 80’s to provide music for Masses. She was also a member of St Theresa’s Altar Society.
Millie’s unwavering honesty was her trademark in her family’s sale barn and ranching businesses. She loved being on the “sale barn circuit” as she grew up attending sales with her parents.
She partnered in/operated three livestock auction businesses and also attended many other auctions while purchasing cattle for her own ranching operation.
She made lasting friendships with people she worked with and customers throughout the western Nebraska and Wyoming area and also with buyers from farms and feedlots throughout eastern Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa and Kansas.
Even after being unable to physically attend auctions due to age and infirmity, she avidly watched the video sales and especially loved getting local sale reports. She fondly recalled past customers and their cattle and how they performed year after year.
Millie also kept busy with other occupations through the years. She assisted in getting easements from local landowners for the initial rural electrification of Sioux County; was a clerk in the Sioux County Treasurer’s office and served as Sioux County Clerk, Assessor and Clerk of the District Court.
Millie also worked as a hostess at Ft Robinson State Park and assisted her family in their business ventures at the Snack Shack, Village Barn Restaurant, and the Harrison Dance Pavilion.
Family and friends were very important to Millie. She loved to dance and traveled around the area with friends to attend local social events. Millie also maintained life-long friendships with her classmates and friends she met throughout the years.
She enjoyed driving nieces and nephews to drive-in movies and dances, then as they grew older, she enjoyed attending their school, sports, and music events. Millie was always there to provide loving support and assistance to all the generations of her family.
Millie is survived by her nieces and nephew: Patricia Federle, Rebecca Law, John Andrew (Holly) Federle and Mary LaDeene Swanson; great-nieces and nephews: Meggan Federle and son Ezra; Jessie (Chad) RoBards and children Conner, Daxton, Bailey, Levi and Ryan; TJ Boyd (Abby George) and children Ross, Reed, Vlad and Rose; Kassi Swanson; Jennifer Swanson and sons Brendan and Zac; Max (Nicole) Federle; Tim (LeAndra) Swanson and son Evan. She is also survived by many generations of Wasserburger and Geiser cousins.
Chamberlain Chapel in Chadron is in charge of arrangements for Millie Wasserburger.
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