Idella L. Bowers

June 30, 1918-April 11, 2011

HOLDREGE, Nebraska -- Funeral services for Idella L. Bowers will be conducted from the United Methodist Church in Oxford, Nebraska on Friday, April 15, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. with Reverend Eldon Flablinger officiating. Interment is in the Oxford Cemetery.

Idella LaVona Bowers, 92, formerly of Oxford, passed away on Monday, April 11, 2011, at Holdrege Memorial Homes. Idella was born June 30, 1918, on the family farm in Harlan County near Ragan, Nebraska, the eldest of three children born to John and Fannie (Johnson) Gitt. She received her education from Ragan, graduating with the Ragan High School class of 1936. Following her education, Idella moved to Oxford where she provided child care for several area families.

On Sept. 26, 1940, she was united in marriage to James Hobart Cropp in Kearney, Nebraska and to this union three children were born, Ronald James, Denise Rae, and Larry Wayne. The couple made their home in Oxford, where James worked for the Swanson Company and Idella focused on raising her children and supporting the family. She was preceded in death by her husband, James on Aug. 4, 1956.

In August of 1968, she was united in marriage to Ben D. Bowers. In 1971, the family moved to various locations until settling back to Oxford in 2002. Ben passed away in May of 1980. In 2005, Idella began to make her home at the Holdrege Memorial Homes.

Idella was a member of the United Methodist Church and Rebecca Lodge in Oxford for more than 60 years. She enjoyed gardening, playing cards and loved to watch sports.

Besides her parents and husbands, Idella was preceded in death by one brother, Don Gitt; and one brother-in-law, Clint Anderson.

Idella is survived by her three children, Ronald Cropp and his wife, Julia of Kearney, Nebraska, Denise White and her husband, Larry of Oxford and Larry Cropp and his wife, Donna of Fort Worth, Texas; five grandchildren, Brent White of Haltom City, Texas, Jolisa Kohout and her husband, A.T. of Fort Wayne, Indiana, James Cropp, Dawn Joiner and Dana Hughes, all of Fort Worth; seven great-grandchildren; one sister, Mary Anderson of Greeley, Colorado; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation is Thursday, April 14, 2011, from 5--8 p.m. at the Mitchell-Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Oxford.

A memorial has been established in her memory and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com.

The Mitchell-Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Oxford is in charge of the arrangements.