Loretta Vivian (Mahoney) Puchalla was born on October 31, 1921, to Carl and Della (Fonte) Mahoney and, according to her, that’s the day the witches and the goblins brought her! She went by Vivian because her dad wasn’t fond of the name Loretta. But Loretta didn’t go by just Vivian.
Uncle Ed Mahoney called her Gib – Paul Kerner called her Spiffo because she cleaned his home so thoroughly – James Noble, her granddaughter Tracy’s husband, called her “the laundry queen! ” Doing laundry was her hobby. One of our favorite names was Grandma Gamerkinflurkin, given to her by a friend of her granddaughter Shelly, because she had a hard time pronouncing Puchalla.
Vivian grew up in the Tecumseh, Sterling, and Vesta areas and was the oldest of six children. We think she outlived them all because she was just too darn ornery. She met her husband Elmer, of 46 years, at a dance in Tecumseh in 1943 and they were married on February 1, 1944.
Vivian and Elmer loved to dance – everything from square dancing to polka – the dance floor was theirs. From that union came four children – Rose Ann, John, Ruth Ann, and Donald. Vivian chose cosmetology as her career in life.
She did her apprentice in Sterling and started a Salon in her home where she worked on many a head for 52 years. She loved to dance and hum a tune and you could always catch her foot a tapping when she heard a good song. Bowling was one of her favorite sports and she sponsored a team at the Tecumseh Bowling Alley for many years.
She also enjoyed watching basketball and football on t.v. and would always give them pointers. Vivian was a lifelong member of the Catholic Church and was involved with the Altar Society. She especially loved helping making kolaches and enjoyed them with her coffee.
Vivian passed away on March 7, 2019 at Belle Terrace in Tecumseh, Nebraska, at the age of 97. She is survived by her sons, John Puchalla and wife Joanne of Lincoln, Donald Puchalla of Overland Park, KS, daughter, Ruth Acker and husband Daniel of Carnation, WA; son-in-law, Dallas Van Slyke of Oregon, IL; grandchildren, Russ Puchalla and wife Jenni of Roca, Mike Puchalla, Melissa Peters and husband Sean, Joel Puchalla and wife Brittani of Lincoln, Tracy Noble and husband James, Jennifer Wrage and husband Jason of Plainfield, IL, Shelly Van Slyke and Dan Tiernan of Chicago, IL, Chris Acker and wife Tiffany of Seattle, WA, Matthew Acker and wife Rachael of Nampa, ID, Andrew Acker and wife MacKenzie of Monroe, WA, Gabriel, Grace, Gavin and Gianna Puchalla of Overland Park, KS, twenty great-grandchildren, sisters-in-law, Millie Puchalla of Waverly and Gladys Mahoney Kuhlmann of Sterling and many family and friends. Vivian is preceded in death by her husband Elmer, daughter Rose Ann, and five siblings, Darell Mahoney, Mary Shea, Annabelle Pfister, Helen Poppas and Patrick Mahoney.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at the St. Andrew Catholic Church in Tecumseh, Nebraska with Father Craig Clinch officiating. Visitation will be at the Wherry Mortuary in Tecumseh, Nebraska, Tuesday, June 18, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. at the St. Andrew Catholic Church in Tecumseh, Nebraska. Memorials may go to the family’s choice.
Inurnment will be in the St. Andrew Catholic Cemetery, Tecumseh, Nebraska. Online condolences may be left @ www. wherrymortuary.com.
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