Jane Parnell

Norma Jane Parnell, 87, a lifelong resident of the Hastings-Harvard area passed away Wednesday, August 13, 2014 at the Harvard Rest Haven in Harvard, NE.

Services will be Saturday, August 16, 2014 at 11 am at the Apfel Funeral Home Chapel, Hastings, with Rev. Paul Dunbar of Faith Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Hastings, NE. Visitation will be from 3 pm to 7:30 pm, Friday, August 15th, 2014 with the family present from 6:30 to 7:30 at the Apfel Funeral Home Chapel, Hastings. Condolences may be sent to the family from www.apfelfuneralhome.com. Apfel Funeral Home is serving the family.

Memorials may be given to the family; a memorial will be established in Janes name.

Jane was born to Harry Julian and Hattie Lemen (North) Brown in Hastings on March 26, 1927, the 10th of 12 children. She attended the Hastings school system and graduated from Hastings High in 1946.

Jane met her future husband while both were working at Eckhardts Grocery on South Street in Hastings. Jane was married to Thurman Shorty Parnell, of Kenly, North Carolina, in Hastings, NE at the home of her mother on October 19, 1947. To this union five sons were born, three while in Hastings and two while in Harvard. The family moved from Hastings to Harvard in 1955 where she resided the remainder of her life. Several years after the death of her husband she moved into Harvard House Assisted Living and later to the Harvard Rest Haven.

Jane worked at Mode-A-Day in Hastings, NE and the Cornhusker Ammunition Plant in Grand Island, NE. Over the years Janes most favorite job was being Grandma for the many area children she babysat for as well as her own grandchildren.

Those left to morn her passing are sons and daughters-in- law, Paul Parnell of Harvard, Craig (Linda) Parnell of Harvard, Rodney (Kim) of Panama, NE, Robert of Houston, TX, and daughter-in-law, Lois Parnell of Clay Center, NE, eight grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren, also one sister-in-law, Kaye Brown of Vista, CA as well as many nieces and nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 49 years, Thurman, one son, Thomas, 5 brothers and 6 sisters.