Pauline Stenehjem

Pauline R. Stenehjem, 91 of Kearney and formerly of Gibbon and Shelton area, died Thursday, November 25, 2010 at St. John's Good Samaritan Center in Kearney. Funeral services will be at 10:30 AM, Monday, November 29 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Shelton with Rev. Rob Kuefner officiating. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery in Gibbon. Visitation will be from 5-7 PM Sunday at the O'Brien - Straatmann Funeral Home in Kearney and will continue one hour prior to services at the church. Memorials are suggested to the church. Online condolences or personal reflections may be submitted at osafh.com. O'Brien - Straatmann Funeral Home of Kearney is in charge of arrangements. She was born April 1, 1919 in Wood River to Henry and Ruby (Oliver) Graper. She grew up in the Shelton area, attending School District 1 school and graduating from Shelton High School in 1935. After briefly attending college she worked at Kaufman's Department Store. She married Oliver Stenehjem on March 10, 1940 in rural Shelton. They made their home in the Shelton and Gibbon area, where Oliver farmed and later worked for Central Nebraska CO-OP. In 1964, they moved to Gibbon. Pauline spent her life making a home for her husband and five children. She was a talented seamstress and craftsperson, as well as an excellent cook. Her cinnamon rolls and peach cream pie are legendary and requested by even the youngest great-grandchild. She and her husband were charter members of the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Shelton. Survivors include her sons, Kenneth Stenehjem and wife Raye Ann of Omaha and Eric Stenehjem and wife Jody of Kearney; daughters, Dorine Slack and husband Larry of Elm Creek, Judy Niemann and husband Don of Kearney and Gayle Chramosta and husband Robert of Kearney; grandchildren, Michael Slack and wife Michelle, Michelle Riessland and husband Daniel, Brian Niemann, Jeff Niemann and wife Jennifer, David Niemann and wife Amy, Shane Stenehjem and wife Sherry, Shannon Arbuckle and husband John, Seth Stenehjem and wife Maggie, Sonja Schilling and husband Jon, Mellissa Stenehjem and fiance Sam Korth, Ann Stenehjem, Nicole Chramosta, James Chramosta, Caitlyn Messbarger and husband Bryan and Megan Chramosta; great-grandchildrn, Jessica Neil and husband Adam, Timaree Slack, McKenna Slack, Deric Riessland and wife Katie, Abigail Riessland, Drew Riessland, Allison Niemann, Lillian Niemann, Emma Kate Niemann, Henry Niemann, Maxwell Niemann, Lucian Stenehjem, Oliver Stenehjem, Peyton Arbuckle, Isaac Arbuckle, Elias Arbuckle, Ella Roach, and Mina Schilling; great-great-grandchildren, Carter Riessland and Carson Riessland; brother, Donald Graper and wife Shirley of Wood River; sisters, Helen Burleson of Anchorage, AK and Ruth Vaughn and husband Lee of Kearney; brother-in-law, Ralph Stenehjem and wife Vera of Billings, MT; sisters-in-law, Marjory Thelan of Cheyenne, WY and Ruth Coleman and husband Hal of Lake Havasu City, AZ; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and brother, William Graper.

Pauline Stenehjem

April 1, 1919 - November 25, 2010