Ellamae "Ella" DeWeese

Ella DeWeese, age 78, of Kearney, NE passed away peacefully on March 22, 2026, at Kearney Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 7th, 2026, at 10:30 AM at the Kearney First Baptist Church in Kearney, NE. Burial will be at a later date. A visitation will be held on Monday, April 6th, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at the O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney, NE. Memorials are suggested to Kearney Rescue Cats or to the Kearney American Legion Post 52. In memory of Ella and all the work she did with the Kearney Rescue Cats shoe fundraiser, mourners are asked to bring good, used shoes to place in the donation box at either the visitation or the funeral service! Ellamae “Ella” Rose DeWeese, 78, of Kearney passed away March 22, 2026, at Kearney Regional Medical Center. Ella was born on October 29, 1947, in Bassett, Nebraska to Elmer and Augusta (Wheeler) Mizner. Ella’s dad worked for Mr. Teleen so she and her nine siblings were raised on a farm north of Ainsworth NE and walked to District 11 Grade School each day. Mr. Teleen had a nickname for each child and Ella was known as “Little Girl!” She went on to attend Ainsworth High School during which time at the age of 16 she moved out on her own and became self-supporting with work at the local nursing home. She graduated from Ainsworth High School in 1965. During those years she attended and was baptized in the Ainsworth Nazarene Church. Ella married Lonnie DeWeese on June 10, 1967. With her husband being in the military, this union took them to Germany, where her son, Buddy was born in Nuremburg on July 2, 1968. After one year in Germany, they returned to the United States and settled in Kearney, Nebraska, where her son, Monte, was born on March 2, 1971. Ella and Lonnie divorced in 1985. Ella worked for Kearney Laundry followed by a 37-year career with Kmart in Kearney, during which time she became the assistant manager. Her “retirement” found her becoming the Personal Assistant and Business Manager for Sherry Morrow which she did until the time of her death. During this time, she helped with Entertainment Plus which involved managing casino parties and antique shows. Ella was someone you could always count on-hardworking, dependable, and steady through everything. Ella and her significant other, Tom McCoy, shared 40 wonderful years together. She loved Husker volleyball, she and Tom were avid UNK sports fans, and they loved to travel both in the United States and abroad. In recent years, they spent many enjoyable hours discovering the many stops on the Nebraska Passport Program. They belonged to a select few that completed their passports! Parachuting out of a plane and zip lining were other activities that Ella conquered! She also enjoyed collecting miniature shoes which she looked for as she traversed the Nebraska Junk Jaunt every fall. Because of this, she was fondly called “The Shoe Grandma” by her great granddaughters! Her friends and family will also never look at Diet Coke, Tootsie Rolls or Rice Krispie bars without thinking of Ella and smiling! Although she guarded herself with a tough exterior, Ella was a very giving, caring person with a tender heart. She was always willing to help others, being sensitive to their feelings. This was evidenced by her coordinating family events, and by using Facebook on her phone to inform every one of the latest news! She served as the volunteer financial coordinator for the Kearney Rescue Cats and was the woman behind the success with their ongoing shoe fundraiser…sorting thousands of pairs of shoes! Her cat Sunshine-who she first fostered and quickly made her own-misses her dearly. Over the years she was also active in the Eagles Auxiliary and the Legion Auxiliary. Those left to cherish her memory are her significant other, Tom McCoy; daughters-in-law, Martha DeWeese and Kelly DeWeese; grandchildren, Cory DeWeese, Greg (Brittany) DeWeese and Chris DeWeese; great grandchildren, Wyatt DeWeese, Daniel Nixon, Lyndsie DeWeese, Liam DeWeese, Collette DeWeese, Hallie DeWeese, Avery DeWeese, Margot Dimond, McKinley DeWeese and Delainey DeWeese; siblings, Edwin Mizner, George (Gwen) Mizner, Shirley McDonald, Arvilla (Mel) Self, Cindy Hissong and David Mizner; sisters-in-law, Jo Mizner and Marsha Mizner; brother-in-law, Maurice Boller; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Augusta Mizner; brothers, Earl and Michael; sister, Phyllis Boller; and sons, Buddy DeWeese and Monte Deweese. She is also survived by Tom’s family; sons, Patrick (Samantha) McCoy and Joseph (Christie) McCoy; Tom’s grandchildren, Griffin McCoy, Logan McCoy, Mia McCoy and Cole McCoy; Tom’s sisters, Jenny (Lance) Krajewski, Karin (Jeffery) Armstrong, Beverly (Daniel) Lukens and Lori Powell; Tom’s brothers, Gary McCoy and Martin Evvard; Tom’s sisters-in-law, Joanne Evvard and Carol McCoy. She was preceded in death by Tom’s brothers, John Evvard and David McCoy and Tom’s sister, Kay Althoff. Ella’s strength, big heart and strong work ethic will be remembered by everyone who knew her! She will be deeply missed.

Ellamae "Ella" DeWeese

October 29, 1947 - March 22, 2026