Emilia Mary Hernandez

Emilia M. Hernandez, 86 of Kearney passed away Saturday, March 8, 2025 at Mother Hull Home in Kearney with her family by her side. Visitation will be held at 10:00 to 11:00 am at O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney on Friday, March 21, 2025. Graveside services will be held after the visitation at Kearney Cemetery. Lunch and time with family to follow at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services. Emilia (Emily) Mary was born September 21, 1938 in Overton, NE to Francisco and Leonor (Luviano) Reyes. She was united in marriage to Thomas E. Hernandez on August 15, 1959 in Gothenburg, NE. This union was blessed with two children. Emily worked at Tenneco in Cozad, BD in Holdrege and managed the L & R Ranch Motel in Lexington. Also, she was a volunteer interpreter for the Hispanic community through the years and made many friends along the way. She found joy in being part of the Eagles Auxiliary in Lexington. She spent countless hours making enchiladas for friends and family to enjoy, and was well known for making very hot homemade chili sauce. She attended St. Ann’s Catholic Church until moving to Kearney in 2010. Emily loved to play softball in her younger days and she helped to coach her daughter Shawn’s softball team through the years. She loved to bowl with her kids and was a favorite weekend activity with extended family as well. She took pride in watching her kids, grandkids and great nieces participate in their various sports and activities; baseball, softball, bowling, and tennis. One of her favorite past times was to watch baseball and was a faithful Dodgers fan. She was fond of playing card games with friends and family, as well as playing shuffleboard. When her kids were young, much time was spent fishing, which was one of her favorite hobbies. She was blessed with a big family and cherished her time spent with her parents and siblings. The whole family worked together, working in corn, beet and potato fields in the Lexington and Gibbon area. She was a caretaker for her younger brothers and they were grateful to have her and her sisters to help take care of them. They had so many special memories growing up and would love to reminisce when getting together for family birthdays, anniversaries, tamale parties and weekend barbecues. She treasured the time she spent with nieces and nephews, grandchildren and friends and she was blessed to have a twin sister, Amalia. She absolutely loved to call family members to wish them a Happy Birthday and catch up on life happenings. She didn’t miss a birthday or forget to call, that was one of her special gifts. Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Tom Hernandez of Kearney; son, Shane (Rebecca) Hernandez of Kearney; daughter, Shawn (Chris) Anderson of Kearney; granddaughter Abrea Hernandez and special friend, Daniel Shearer of Lincoln and granddaughter Emilee Anderson and grandson, Braeden Anderson of Kearney; brothers, Ben Reyes of Kearney, Gilbert Reyes of St. Paul, MN; sister-in-law, Josie Reyes of Grand Island; and many beloved nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; 8 brothers, Mike, Frank, Lupe, Joe, Leo, Lupe, Ruben and Salvador; 4 sisters, Beatrice (Jason) Gomez, Amalia (Dave) Canas, Rosemary Vasquez, and Molly Reyes.

Emilia Mary Hernandez

September 21, 1938 - March 8, 2025