11/25/2019 - Maureen Kaye Whirlwind Horse Hooker

Funeral services for 70-year old Maureen Kaye Whirlwind Horse Hooker of Papillion NE, will be Monday, Nov 25, 2019, at 10:30 am at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Chadron, NE, with Father Todd officiating. 

Burial will be at the Calvary Cemetery in Chadron, next to her husband Mark Hooker who passed in March of 1987.

Maureen was born on August 6, 1949, in Chadron to Maurice and Imogene Horse.  She was married to Mark Hooker on May 31, 1969, in Chadron. Maureen's last few days were spent on her terms.  Just as she wanted it.

Maureen had worked as a teacher since she was 21 years of age at Raymond Central as a business teacher and volleyball coach and at Garden City Senior High as a business teacher, Business Professional of America Sponsor, Cheerleader Sponsor, and Foreign Exchange Sponsor. 

Upon becoming an empty nester, she took a job at State Farm Insurance as an underwriter but her love of teaching took her back to the Pine Ridge Job Corps Center in Chadron, where she continued to work with students from all walks of life and countries until she retired in 2015.

The last three years of her life were spent doing what she loved most - spoiling and teasing her grandsons. She was able to garden, watch anything that had to do with the Cornhuskers, and read until she fell asleep in her chair. 

Maureen always had a kind word for anyone that walked into the room - friend, family, or stranger.  She believed that if I treat others kind then others will treat you kind when you need it.

In one instance, she helped a student from Africa to find his mom that he had thought had died when their village was attacked. That was Maureen, she never wanted a kid to feel that they were lost or did not have a purpose.

Maureen leaves behind her mother, Imogene Horse, sisters Jeanne Horse and Luanne (Karl) Witt, all of Chadron; daughter Kolette (Travis) Gilbert and grandsons Brady and Preston, all of Council Grove, KS,  daughter Kami (Aaron)Truax and grandsons Hayden and Grayson, all of Papillion, NE,  Brother-in-law, Terry “Bim” Hooker and his wife Lois Larsen-Hooker of Casper WY,  Sister-in-law Pat Hooker Santoro and her husband Lou Santoro of Alamos, NM, sister-in-law Lisa Hooker-Young and husband Don Young of Denver, CO