Twilla Lonsdale

May 30, 1934 – October 20, 2022

Twilla Lonsdale of Omaha, Nebraska, passed away on October 20th, 2022, in Omaha, Nebraska. Twilla was born on May 30th, 1934, in the home of her parents, Ethel and Dorothy E (Mann) Watson, in Bradshaw, Nebraska. The family moved to Waco, Nebraska and Twilla attended school there until she reached the fourth grade. The family moved to York, Nebraska, and she attended the public schools until she graduated in 1953. She completed an Interior Decorator Course in 1958.

During her high school days, she did babysitting for several doctors in the area. She worked for the F.W. Woolworth five-and-dime Cent Store as the head of several departments and then as the head Checker in the IGA grocery chain until 1958.

On August 5th, 1956, she was united in marriage to Edward Ellis Lonsdale at the United Brethren Church in York, Nebraska. The ceremony was conducted by Twilla’s grandfather, the Reverend Edward L Watson. The couple had two daughters, Devonye Jo, and Dacrus Beth.

Twilla was baptized in the Methodist Church in Waco, Nebraska, and was active with the youth group in the Methodist Church in Exeter, Nebraska, when the couple lived there for a short time. After moving to York, she was active with United Brethren Church and then joined the Presbyterian Church of the Cross following a move to Omaha.

She spent five years working the Miss Nebraska Pageant and roller skated many miles promoting the pageant during York parades. She was a band parent traveling over 10,000 miles with the York band and was a girl scout leader for several years. She was owner/operator of TEL HOUSE Drapery for 28 years. She was the proud author of The Walking Poet, which was published in 2000 her second book was self-published.

She was a Mall Walker at Oakview Mall for 21 years, walking as many as seven miles a day. She was a member of the 134th Ave. Gals for several years, a group that was near and dear to her heart.

She is survived by daughters Devonye and husband Mark Mullins of Omaha, Nebraska, and Dacrus Ray of Parker, Colorado;  grandchildren Kendra and husband David McIvor of Omaha, Nebraska, Denton Mullins and husband Chris Tanner of Honolulu, Hawaii, Tegan and husband Mike Reed of Omaha, Nebraska, Daniela and husband Erik Pritchard of Aurora, Colorado, Adam and wife Erica Ray of Aurora, Colorado, Jessica Ray and husband Morgan Garske of Seattle, Washington, and an AFS daughter Marika Mus of Amsterdam, Holland; grandchildren, Caleb and Gabriel McIvor, Hannah, Mallory, Roslyn, and Ethan Reed of Omaha, Nebraska and Trystin Pritchard, Harley and Dale Ray of Aurora, Colorado.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, November 5th at 10:30 AM at Westwood Church, 13056 Atwood Avenue Omaha, Nebraska. Internment is in the Exeter Cemetery in Exeter Nebraska. Memorials are suggested to Children’s Hospital of Omaha in memory of Elijah Solomon McIvor to the NICU and to Nebraska Diaper Bank, 9100 F Street Omaha, Nebraska 68127.