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Memorial services for Abbie Olivia (Gray) Westover, age 77, of Ashby, NE will be at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at Morse Memorial Methodist Church in Rushville, NE.

Burial will be in the Gordon Cemetery.

Online condolences may be left at www.chamberlainchapel.com.

Abbie went to be in the presence of her Lord and Savior on October, 15, 2016 at The Hospice House in Rapid City, SD. She was born to Scott and Vera (Mickkelson) Gray on November 5, 1938 in Lynch, NE. She grew up on a farm on the NiobraraRiver and went to country school till her mother’s ill health forced them to move into Lynch. She graduated from LynchHigh School in 1956. She attended MiltonvaleWesleyanCollege in Miltonvale, KS and Chadron State College. She loved teaching and taught country school for a year at Niobrara.

In 1958, she moved to the Sandhills to teach school and met her sweetheart, Joseph Burton Westover. They were married on May 24, 1959 in Lynch, NE. They lived in Wessington Springs, SD for two years while Joe attended college. Later, they moved to Huron, SD. In 1965, Joe, Abbie, and their five sons moved to the family ranch in the Sandhills, south of Gordon, where they still reside today. To this union, they added two more sons and three daughters.

Abbie worked alongside her husband on the family ranch and loved the cattle and animals. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She loved being a mom and grandma. She loved all the celebrations with the family, especially Christmas. She enjoyed giving the perfect gift and seeing the joy on their faces. Her grandchildren cherished many memories of going to the ranch. They called themselves the “Westies of Nebraska.” They loved her smile and hugs. She would often make their favorite foods. Ice cream for breakfast was a treat, and they enjoyed otter pops all day long. They loved riding horses, especially Fiddler, hunting, fishing and all the fish fries that followed, playing in leaky lake, all the treasure hunts, crafts, playing in the pool, jumping on the trampoline, playing haunted house and bank, catching tadpoles, going on lunch hikes, and pretending they were cattle in the corral.

Abbie enjoyed gardening to keep up with her ever-growing family. She was an amazing cook and will always be remembered for her wonderful meals, Thanksgiving dinner, Sunday pot roast, oyster dressing, and delicious pies. Her beautiful flowers brought her so much joy. She loved attending church, teaching Bible school, spending time with friends, and listening to old gospel hymns. She was truly a blessing to so many lives and will always be remembered for the wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother that she was.

She is survived by loving husband of 57 years Joe; children David (Carina) Westover of Kent, WA, Mark (Melissa) Westover of Estes Park, CO, Steve (Penny) Westover of Harrison, NE, Philip Westover of Kimball, NE, James Westover of Alma, GA, Daniel (David Ramos) Westover of Vancouver, BC, Mary (Kevin) Marquart of Estes Park, CO, Debbie (Edwin) Pomales of Rushville, NE, and Sarah (Chance) Cole of Ainsworth, NE, grandchildren Autumn Westover of Fife, WA, Danielle and Joseph Westover of Kent, WA, Jessica (Brandon) Borries, Jordanne (Jason) Bradley, and Dylan and Ellen Westover, all of Estes Park, CO, Megan (Ryne) Hamman of Coos Bay, OR, Jackie (Charles) Walker of Casper, WY, Erin (Chance) Gonka of Riverton, WY, Kyle Westover of Harrison, NE, Olivia Westover of Alma, GA, Brandon and Justin Marquart of Estes Park, CO, Cameron and Nathaniel Pomales of Rushville, NE, and Wyatt, Brittany, and Tory Cole of Ainsworth, NE; great-grandchildren Jack and Lucille Borries of Estes Park, CO and Emma and Kenzie Walker of Casper, WY; and siblings Richard (Irene) Gray of O’Neill, NE, Margaret (Dennis) DeBlauw of Hartington, NE, Betty (Dave) Wemhoff of Virginia Beach, VA, and Beverly (Mike) Miller of Alamogordo, NM.

Abbie was preceded in death by parents Scott and Vera Gray; infant sister Mary; sister Ruth Ann Frye; and infant son Timothy.

Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements for Abbie Westover.