Alma Ann (Gottlob) Edelman went to her eternal rest March 10, 2010 at the Good Samaritan Village in Alliance, Nebraska. She was 91 years old. Alma was born to William Tekumpsah and Rebekah (Osborn) Gottlob at Hecla, Nebraska on December 31, 1918, the youngest of four children. Bill and Rebekah were the owners of a large mercantile and feed store. They also operated the Post Office and had a rental house.

 

Alma started to school at the Hecla School in 1923. Their store burned down in 1927. They lived in Mullen, Atkinson and moved to Chadron in 1929. She attended Chadron High School and graduated from Hyannis High School in 1936 after her parents moved to Hyannis.

 

Alma married Floyd Franklin (Red) Edelman in Hot Springs, SD, on April 22, 1936. They moved to the “Red Onion Ranch”, where Red organized his contract business, later named Edelman Enterprises, Inc.

 

In 1941, they moved east of the lake east of Hyannis for 1 ½ years and then to a house in Hyannis for 1 ½ years. Red then purchased the Lund place east of Hyannis where they contracted hay and did other contracting business and raised Angus cattle. Since March 23, 2008, Alma lived in the Good Samaritan Village in Alliance, NE, where she suffered a fracture.

 

Alma’s main interests were her family, home and business.   She liked reading, arts and crafts, gardening, word games, cards, rodeos, school activities, the Cornhuskers, dancing, swimming and fishing.

 

She was a Charter Member of Calvary Episcopal Church, where she was secretary for over 20 years; President of Calvary Guild as well as Directress of St. Margaret’s Altar Guild. She was Past Matron of Golden Rule Chapter O.E.S. #134 in 1953, Regent of Sandhills Chapter D.A.R. in 1971. She was a long time member of Friendship Club, Eagles and the American Legion Auxiliary. At age 89, she was the oldest person to attend the first Democratic caucus in Grant County, NE. 

 

In 1954, she received awards from AK SAR BEN and the Nebraska College of Agriculture for leadership and served on President Eisenhower Commission on children and youth in 1960-1961. She was Grant County Democratic Chairman from 1970-79 and State Central Committee 1970 and 1983. She worked in Senator JJ Exon’s campaigns and received a medallion in 1950 and became an Admiral in the Great State of Nebraska’s Navy by then Governor Bob Kerry in 1984. Alma is listed in three books, Who’s Who in Politics 1968 and 2004, Personalities of the West and Midwest and 1972 Community Leaders and Noteworthy Citizens 1974 and 1975.

 

She was Secretary of the Grant County Historic Society and Curator of the County Museum from 1988 – 2001. Alma was honored to be named First Lady of the Year in 2007 by the XI Delta Alphas.

Alma was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd Edelman, daughter – Thelma Ann Edelman; sister – Major Janet A. Gottlob, brother – William (Kick) Gottlob, sister – Pauline (Polly) Thurston, half brother – Dr. Louis Elwin Gottlob of St. Clair, MO and great great grandchild Jalen Jonathan Brown.

 

Survivors include daughters: Margaret (Dean) Applegarth of Chadron, NE, Frances (Bud) Davis of Hyannis, NE; grandchildren: Rebecca Lynn (Applegarth) Mayhew, Joseph Dean (Sheryl) and Floyd Daniel Applegarth; Deborah Ann (Kurt) Johnson and Scott (Lori) Davis. Great Grandchildren: Harmony Brown, Jestin Dean Aplegarth-Gaspers, Rebecca Marie, Nicky Suzette, Jazmin Julie and Daniel Dean Applegarth, Amanda and Gunner Johnson, Jeremy, Jack and Angie Davis; Great Great Grandchildren: Jaren James and Madelynn Rebecca Brown.

 

Memorial services will be Thursday, March 18, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. MDT at the Calvary Episcopal Church in Hyannis with Father Don Huber officiating. Inurnment will be at the Hyannis Cemetery. Memorials may go the to the Donor’s Choice, c/o of Box 74, Hyannis, NE 69350.

 

Mullen Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.