Connie Jo Wakelin

October 14, 1942 - February 25, 2019

Connie J. Wakelin Kearney Resident Connie J. Wakelin, 76, of Kearney died Monday, February 25, 2019 at the Country House Assisted Living Facility in Kearney. Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 4 at the O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney with Rev. Michael Freitag officiating. Family will receive friends 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sunday, March 3 at the funeral home. Inurnment will be at the Kearney Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to St. Agnes Academy in Alliance, NE or the Kearney Public Schools Foundation. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services. She was born on October 14, 1942 in Kearney, Nebraska to Harold and Loretta (Neal) Burtis. She grew up in Kearney and graduated from Kearney High School in 1960. It was through a blind date that she met her husband of 48 years, Roger Wakelin. They were wed on April 17, 1964 in Kearney, after which the couple made their home in Grand Island. To this union, two daughters were born; Lynne Renee and Janelle Jo. The family made their homes over the years in Spencer, IA, Chickasha, OK and Kearney. Connie worked as the Bookkeeper/Secretary of the Superintendent for Kearney Public Schools and the Central District for the United Methodist Church. She did taxes at H&R Block for several years before pursuing her degree from Kearney State College. Connie earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Kearney State College, graduating with Honors. She was a past Bluebird Leader, volunteer for the church, and kept her family full of fruit cups, grandma’s muffins and ice cream dessert. She was a meticulous housekeeper and hostess and was very detail oriented with everything she did. Connie was an excellent cook and enjoyed 50’s music. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church. In 1988, Roger and Connie purchased the Kearney Ford New Holland Dealership, which was renamed Wakelin Implement. After a very successful seven years of ownership they sold the business to Fairbanks Implement. Left to cherish her memory are her daughters, Lynne Beckstead and husband, Patrick of Ankeny, IA, Janelle Rolls of Alliance, NE; grandsons, Joshua (Raegan) Follmer and Nicholas Follmer, Colton and Gage Rolls; granddaughter, Ryley Rolls; sister-in-law, Joanne (Wendell) Lanman of Parker, CO; nieces, Stephanie Braeden, and Krista Schmidt, also of Parker, CO. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; and an infant brother.