Lynne Rae Kocer

Dugan Kramer Funeral Chapel will be hosting her Celebration of Life at 10:30am, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 3201 Ave B, Scottsbluff, NE.

Lynne was born in Yankton, South Dakota to Ron and Mary Halsey and was raised in Springfield, SD, where she built the foundation of a life centered on family, education, and community. She attended college at Nettleton College in Sioux Falls, SD for one year and then USD Springfield for three years with a Bachelor of Science Degree in English. She then later went to Wayne State College to get her Elementary Education endorsement and went on to dedicate her career to teaching, spending many years at Haig Elementary and Lincoln Elementary in Gering, NE. She was a devoted teacher who cared deeply about her students and took pride in helping them learn and grow.

On June 6, 1975, Lynne married the love of her life, Lad Kocer. They were high school and college sweethearts. Together, they shared more than 50 years of marriage, building a life rooted in love, commitment, and family. They had three children together, Laurie, Sara, and Adam.

Outside of the classroom, Lynne enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and her dog, Maggie, who were the center of her world. She found joy in reading, completing crossword puzzles, decorating for each season, and spending Friday Happy Hour with her retired teaching friends, the “Turtles”. She cherished the simple moments spent with those she loved. Known for her kindness and warm spirit, Lynne had a way of making others feel welcome and cared for.

Lynne is survived by her husband, Lad Kocer; her three children: Laurie Davis (Clint Davis) of Granger, Iowa; Sara Schwartz (Bryan Schwartz) of Papillion, Nebraska; and Adam Kocer (Niki Kocer) of Omaha, Nebraska; and her five grandchildren, McKinlee Davis, Cash Davis, Emersyn Schwartz, Annistyn Kocer, and Kaylor Kocer; her siblings, Amy Halsey of Lander, WY, and Gene Halsey (Karen Halsey) of Huron, SD, and several nieces and nephews who brought her immense joy.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ron and Mary Halsey of Springfield, South Dakota.

Lynne will be remembered for her kindness, her dedication to her students, and the deep love she had for her family. Her legacy lives on in the lives she touched and the family she cherished.