Lynn Mae Ploeger

Lynn Mae Ploeger, 67, recently of West Des Moines, IA, formerly of Kearney, Nebraska, went home to be with the Lord on October 25, 2022 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

Lynn was born July 26, 1955 in Cherokee, Iowa to Ivan Frederick William Ploeger and Genevieve Isakson. She was the youngest of four siblings: Sherryl, Roger and Joan. As an infant Lynn was brought to the waters of holy baptism at The United Methodist Church in Sutherland, Iowa on March 25, 1956, and was confirmed as a teenager in The United Methodist Church. Lynn attended her early school years in Sutherland before moving with her parents to Holstein where she graduated from the Holstein Community School.

After high school graduation, Lynn worked at several area jobs before furthering her education and graduating from Iowa State University in 1990 with a Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts. She then accepted a job working with the dining service/Chartwell at Kearney State College in Kearney, Nebraska where she became friends with Jan Maaske. Lynn lived with Jan and her daughter, Brie, on Linden Street for many years.

Lynn was a beloved member of the Maaske family where she participated in everything from day-to-day routines to all family gatherings. Lynn helped get Brie to her events and on one occasion became stranded in a blizzard less than a block from home, spending the night at their neighbors’ home down the hill. Lynn enjoyed many vacations with the Maaske family including Colorado, Disney, Minnesota's Mall of America, Camp Snoopy, and Chicago's Six Flags. When Brie and her husband, Cody, adopted Ella from the animal shelter, Lynn treated Ella as the first child of their family. Lynn brought her gifts, often wrapped, on every visit. Even after Brooks, their son, arrived, Lynn brought a gift for Ella when visiting.

Maaske family gatherings meant Lynn was requested to bring the dessert, usually pies. In late November through December each year the house smelled of sugar and chocolate because Lynn had a talent for creating a variety of delicious homemade candies. After work the kitchen table always had some type of candy production in process. Shopping seemed to slow production at times; however, it wasn't unusual for 50-70 pounds of treats to be completed by the end of holiday season.

Lynn enjoyed shopping and surprised her nieces and nephews, and eventually grandnieces and grandnephews, with special packages for each of the various holidays throughout the year. Christmas shopping was a year-long adventure in order to cover gifts for all of Lynn’s Iowa and Nebraska family members. When shopping was done, Lynn, Jan and Brie wrapped gifts in unique paper per family to make gift distribution easier at the family gatherings. Packing gifts in Lynn’s car for the holiday trek to Iowa was typically a challenging puzzle.

Lynn loved planting flowers in the spring but didn't much care for watering and weeding. She enjoyed crafting, starting many projects and completing some. Lynn loved to go to movies, one every two weeks or more, where she enjoyed the popcorn and soda.

Lynn's final employment until her stroke in 2020 was with Becton Dickinson in Holdrege, NE. Lynn had many friends at her workplaces, Chartwell and BD, as well as several friends and a sense of community in Women of Today. Women of Today is a non-profit, community-based service and personal growth organization. Local chapter projects include raising funds for park projects, supporting senior centers, bingo at nursing homes and Relay for Life (American Cancer Society). The Kearney Chapter has done all of the above as well as holding informational meetings for financial planning, will and estate planning. Women of Today supported many projects for the safe center (battered women), ARC, and MS Society in addition to providing desserts for community Thanksgiving dinners and distributing candy at a local member's house on Halloween that typically welcomed 800-1000 children.

Lynn held all local offices over the 20 plus years she was a member. She held many state offices as well and attended most state conferences and conventions. Road trips to national conventions across the country generated many memories. Women of Today trips to Pennsylvania included a trip to the Hershey candy factory. Lynn was recognized for her dedication to Women of Today and was honored with inclusion in the Nebraska Women of Today Hall of Fame. Nebraska Women of Today members include Roberta Ogg, Kathy Morrow, Kim Troudt, Angela Moody, Terri Sherman, Maxine Turner, Cindy Urlacher, Joyce Harpster, and Julie Fogelman.

Lynn was preceded in death by her parents, Ivan and Genevieve Ploeger and brother-in-law, Kenneth Wangler. Nebraska family members who loved Lynn but are no longer with us include Bonnie Maaske (Norman) Meyer, Kent Maaske, and Theone Winkler.

Those left to cherish her memory include her siblings and their families: sister, Sherryl Wangler of Port Charlotte, FL, children, Eric Ductor, Heather Ductor, Mary Beth Chonjnacki, Steve Wangler, Mike Wangler and Gregg Wangler; brother, Roger (Sandy) Ploeger of West Des Moines, IA, their children Jody (Karl) Ingwersen and daughter Kaylee (Jason) Thomas; Stephanie (Kevin) Schrader their children Nicole and Kyle; Syd Hausman; Robin (Jamie) Byrne, their children Emma and Zach; sister Joan (Bill) Kruse of Storm Lake, IA, their children Kristin (Durell) Johnson and sons Harry and William; Kindra Kruse; and Kari (Jason) Sweet; along with numerous cousins. Nebraska family members include: Jan Maaske of Lincoln, NE; Brie, Cody and Brooks Gorsett, Bennington, NE; Julie Maaske and Chris Dooley, Lincoln, NE; Tari and Jacob Maaske, Kearney, NE; Lisa Havens, Holdrege; Scott Winkler and Tony Morrissey, LaVista, NE.

Memorial gifts will be donated to cancer research.