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Jennie Landen Spitler

Birth	:	15 Nov 1915 Greeley, Greeley County, Nebraska, USA
Death	:	25 Sep 2011 Columbus, Platte County, Nebraska, USA
Burial	:	Greeley Cemetery, Greeley, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate	:	41.5554000, -98.5400000
Description	:	Jennie Spitler, 95, of Columbus, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011, at the Golden LivingCenter in Columbus. Private interment was in the Greeley Cemetery in Greeley. Jennie was born on Nov. 15, 1915, in Greeley, to Gotthard and Elizabeth (Johnson) Landen. She grew up on a farm in Greeley with her four sisters and six brothers. After finishing high school and a program for teaching, Jennie taught two and a half years in two country schoolhouses. She met Sam Spitler at a dance in a sod house in 1936. They were married in Oct. 30, 1937, and made... Read More	Jennie Spitler, 95, of Columbus, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011, at the Golden LivingCenter in Columbus. Private interment was in the Greeley Cemetery in Greeley. Jennie was born on Nov. 15, 1915, in Greeley, to Gotthard and Elizabeth (Johnson) Landen. She grew up on a farm in Greeley with her four sisters and six brothers. After finishing high school and a program for teaching, Jennie taught two and a half years in two country schoolhouses. She met Sam Spitler at a dance in a sod house in 1936. They were married in Oct. 30, 1937, and made their home in Dunning in a one-room house on the Double S ranch, with no electricity or running water. While Sam took care of 200-300 heads of cattle, Jennie tended to their huge garden along the banks of the Dismal River. There were no pumps for water, so she had to hand carry water from the river for the garden. She cooked for haying crews, and one winter when Sam had pneumonia, she cared for and milked the cows, pitched hay, fixed fences, and generally took care of the ranch with the help of friends. Jennie never complained about the hard work, but one thing she feared and hated were the abundance of rattlesnakes. She told many stories of close encounters and of killing snakes in the milk barn, around the bunkhouse, in the cellar-virtually everywhere. One time, a rattlesnake slipped into the house somehow and all she had nearby was a kettle of boiling water, which she poured on the snake to kill it. Jennie always said "Everywhere you walked, you watched your feet. You could never enjoy the sky." On June 3, 1947, Jennie's and Sam's son, Don, was born. They continued to manage the ranch for two more years, then bought a place in Tahlequah, Okla., but only lived there nine months before moving to Kimball and managing a bar for a year. In 1951, they came back to Dunning and bought a store. Jennie spent long days tending the Spitler Store, while Sam worked other jobs. The Spitler Store supplied everything from veterinarian supplies to groceries to liquor until Sam and Jennie retired and closed the store in 1988. In addition to running the store, Jennie was very involved in her community through the church and the VFW. In 1977, their son, Don, moved to Northway, Alaska, with his wife, Jeanne, and their two children, Diane, who was 11, and Joe, who was 8. Jennie drove up to Alaska from Nebraska in 1978 with her husband, Sam, and then again every year from 1980-87 to visit their son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. Since they were still running the store, they were only able to stay a few weeks. After retiring in 1988, they continued to drive up every summer through 1996, pulling an RV, which they parked in Don's driveway and slept in from June to the end of August. Diane and her family flew down from Alaska twice to drive up with Sam and Jennie and vacation in the Badlands, Yellowstone Park and Edmonton, Canada. In the summer of 1986, Jennie and Sam met their first great-granddaughter, Chandice, who was born in April to Diane and her husband, Matt. Their second great-granddaughter, Ashlee, was born in the summer of 1989, while Jennie and Sam were there helping take care of Chandice, while Diane and Matt were 250 miles away at the nearest hospital. Then, in August 1990, her third great-granddaughter, Courtney, was born to Joe and Melissa. Jennie spent many long, happy, Alaskan summer days with her family. Her trips to Alaska were filled with family gatherings, picnics, hunting trips and lots of fishing. Jennie caught her first King Salmon and became an expert at butchering a moose. There was a family barbecue spot up the hill from Don's house with a beautiful view of the mountains and the rivers in the valley. Jennie and the family would pile into the Argo — an eight-wheel all-terrain vehicle — and drive up to the spot for picnics under the Alaskan midnight sun. Jennie also travelled 17 miles through the Alaskan wilderness in that Argo to help build Don's trapping cabin, where she also panned for gold at the creek below the cabin. In October 1998, Sam passed away, and Jennie auctioned their belongings and moved to Columbus so she could be near her sister, Ruth, and in a more suitable environment for her to live alone. There weren't any stores left in Dunning and the closest doctor was 50 miles away. She made a home for herself in Columbus where her son, Don, visited her every summer until he died in a plane crash in 2006. In the summer of 2007, Diane and her family brought Courtney with them and went down to see Jennie. The time was filled with lots of visiting and laughter, sharing pictures, and a Fourth of July fried chicken picnic in the park. Her family says, "Grandma Jennie was a spunky, hardworking woman who loved her family dearly and always put them first. She loved spending time playing with her great-granddaughters. They have fond memories of her crawling on the ground and hiding behind trees playing cops and robbers with them, making pancakes in the RV trailer and taking walks in the woods. She loved to collect knick-knacks and always bought a collector's spoon from the different places her and Grandpa Sam visited. Grandma also loved the United States of America and was a faithful Republican. As a proud citizen of our country, she was a steadfast supporter of our troops. She was a member of the Ladies VFW for 52 years and consistently donated to the Disabled Veterans and other organizations that help military personnel and their families. Grandma always looked for the positive in any situation. When things were tough, she always said that someone else had it tougher, and we all needed to be thankful for what we have. We really wish she could have gotten a chance to meet her great-great granddaughter, Ellie (Ashlee's daughter). Grandma is such a big part of our lives, and we will miss her greatly. We are thankful for all of the wonderful times we spent together and will always cherish her and those memories." Jennie is survived by granddaughter, Diane Cronk, and her husband, Matt, of Wasilla, Alaska; her grandson, Joe Spitler, of Northway, Alaska; her great-granddaughters, Chandice Kelly, Ashlee Cronk and Courtney Spitler; her great-great granddaughter, Ellie Cronk; her brother, Lloyd Landen; and her sister, Ruth Frerichs. Jennie was preceded in death by her husband, Sam Spitler; her son, Don Spitler; and his wife, Jeanne; Jennie's brothers, Oscar, Gotthard, Nels, Andrew and John; and her sisters, Emma, Ella and Ruby.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Jennie Landen Spitler's memorial?
Jennie Landen Spitler's memorial is located at: Greeley Cemetery, Greeley, Greeley County, USA.
When did Jennie Landen Spitler death?
Jennie Landen Spitler death on 25 Sep 2011 in Columbus, Platte County, Nebraska, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Jennie Landen Spitler's memorial?
Latitude: 41.5554000
Longitude: -98.5400000

Family Members:

Parent

Gotthard O Landen

(1869 - 1937)

Jennie E Landen

(1885 - 1966)

Spouse

John Samuel “Sam” Spitler

(1911 - 1998)

Siblings

Emma L. Landen Vanosdall

(1904 - 1987)

(1905 - 1920)

(1908 - 1993)

(1911 - 1989)

(1914 - 2007)

Ruth L. Landen Frerichs

(1917 - 2014)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Greeley Cemetery
Greeley, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5554000, -98.5400000

2. Sacred Heart Cemetery
Greeley, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5539017, -98.5381012

3. Swedish Cemetery
Greeley, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5525017, -98.5147018

4. O'Connor Cemetery
O'Connor, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5101128, -98.4654999

5. East O'Connor Cemetery
O'Connor, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5106000, -98.4638000

6. Pleasant Hill Cemetery
Belfast, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6175003, -98.6352997

7. Fish Creek Cemetery
Scotia, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4663000, -98.6154000

8. Mount Hope Cemetery
Scotia, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4752998, -98.7117004

9. Saint Michael's Cemetery
Spalding, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6674995, -98.3675003

10. Summit Cemetery
Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3875008, -98.4953003

11. Hillside Cemetery
Wolbach, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4005089, -98.3921356

12. Calvary Cemetery
Spalding, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6958008, -98.3617020

13. Grand View Cemetery
Spalding, Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6974983, -98.3593979

14. Enfield Cemetery
Boone County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5391998, -98.2782974

15. Fairdale Sunrise Cemetery
Elba, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3580000, -98.4887000

16. North Logan Cemetery
Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3657990, -98.4492035

17. Hillside Cemetery
North Loup, Valley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4892006, -98.7960968

18. Pibel Cemetery
Wheeler County, USA
Coordinate: 41.7621994, -98.5263977

19. Amity Cemetery
Greeley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.7158012, -98.7322006

20. Springdale Hillside Cemetery
Valley County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6114010, -98.8282950

21. Cotesfield Cemetery
Cotesfield, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3358002, -98.6219025

22. Saint Marys Catholic Cemetery
Primrose, Boone County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6465900, -98.2532600

23. Dublin Cemetery
Primrose, Boone County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6463000, -98.2529900

24. South Logan Cemetery
Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3222100, -98.4352600