Nelda Liston

Nelda A. (DeMere) Liston (formerly of Indianola, passed from this earth to join her beloved husband Jerry on March 21, 2008, at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege, Nebraska. She had been a resident of Holdrege Memorial Homes for 4-1/2 years.

Nelda was born north of Bartley in Frontier County Nebraska on November 3, 1921 to Andrew N. DeMere and Geneva E. Grisell. She graduated from Bartley High School in 1938, and on July 29, 1940 married Jerry Liston. The early part of their marriage was in Bartley; Jerry worked for the railroad and Nelda was a homemaker. They spent some time in Texas and in Omaha when Jerry was in the service and then moved back to Bartley where they raised their son Nial and daughter Ronda. They worked with a partner in the Bartley Café for 8-1/2 years. Nelda excelled in the art of baking, and cooked wonderful meals. Her pies, apple butter and cinnamon rolls were beyond compare! She maintained a huge garden and canned many vegetables for winter use. She was also a splendid seamstress who won ribbons for her quilts, and made many hand stitched items. She was involved with the Rural Letter Carrier’s ladies organization and a member of the local American Legion Auxiliary.

After Nial graduated from Bartley High School, Nelda, Jerry and Ronda moved to Indianola in 1959, adding onto and remodeling a home on the east side of town. Nelda knew every carpentry tool in Jerry’s workshop and how to use them all. Jerry was a rural mail carrier and carpenter. Nelda worked at the Indianola News for a period of time, and in later worked in nursing care at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook.

Nelda was preceded in death by her husband Jerold Francis Liston in December of 1982; mother Geneva E. (DeMere) Shank in 1986; and brother Lawrence (Bud) DeMere.

She is survived by her sister Wilma & her husband Elmer Zeller of Bartley; her son Nial & his wife Michele Liston of Oxford; her daughter Ronda & her husband Lynn Spahr of Newbury Park, California; by four grandchildren, Tonya Richards & her husband Kenny from Lincoln; Nialie McDermott of Oxford; Christopher Spahr & his wife Megan and Jeffrey Spahr and his wife Amber, all of Newbury Park, California; and four great-grandchildren, Kailie, Rylie, Carson and Danielle, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Nelda will be remembered for the love and assistance she gave to her mother Geneva and several ladies that were her mother’s age; for babysitting to assist family members or friends over the years; the immaculate care she gave to her home and property; her avid love of books, crossword and jigsaw puzzles; her love of family; and her wonderful marriage and genuine devotion to her husband Jerry.

She will be sadly missed by all of us.

To honor her wishes, there will be a private gravesite service for immediate family members at the Bartley Cemetery on Wednesday, March 26, 2008.

Memorials were to be given in her name.

Carpenter Breland Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

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