Phyllis J. Lueninghoener

Phyllis J. Lueninghoener

August 27, 1950 – March 29, 2021

Preceded in death by infant son, William Edward Lueninghoener; siblings, Jack Ryan, Mary Maurice, Sr. Loretta Ryan.  Survived by husband, Edward Lueninghoener; children: Ryan Lueninghoener (Alisha), Cory Lueninghoener (Lisabeth), Quentin Lueninghoener (Elizabeth), Kelcey Lueninghoener (Alicia); three grandchildren: Madeline, Emily, and Timothy; siblings: Theresa Sherman (Tom), Bernie Culver (Mike), Ann Peterson (George), Frank Ryan, Bill Ryan, (Sheryl), Rita Ryan; nieces and nephews.

VISITATION with CDC guidelines:  Sunday, April 4^th from 5pm to 7 pm at the West Center Chapel with VIGIL SERVICE at 7pm.  MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Monday, April 5^th at 10:30am at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 6116 Dodge Street.  Interment: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.  In Lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Bethlehem House.

To view live broadcasts of the Vigil, Mass and Graveside Services, please go to www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “View Live Cast “ button on our home page.

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Phyllis (Ryan) Lueninghoener, age 70, passed away on the night of March 28, 2021, surrounded by her family.  Phyllis was born in Red Oak, Iowa on August 27, 1950, the ninth of ten children and the first to be born in a hospital.  She grew up on her family’s farm near Corning, Iowa.  During high school and college, Phyllis spent time living with her cousin in Omaha, Nebraska.  It was also in Omaha that she met her husband, Edward Lueninghoener, picking him up off the floor of the Golden Buda Lounge.

Ed and Phyllis were married on January 6, 1973, and lived in a few cities around the country before settling back in Omaha.  Phyllis was active in her children’s school lives, taking the occasional baked goods and daiquiris to teachers during parent-teacher conferences, leading Cub Scout and Girl Scout meetings, and attending any activity that the kids were part of to show her support.  She was also an active member of Saint Margaret Mary   Catholic Church Parish for more than 30 years.  She loved spending time with her friends, amazing neighbors, large extended family, staying up late into the night having backyard bonfires, getting smarter with each rum and Coke, and laughing about all manner of things.  

In recent years, she looked forward each year to her spring break trip to Jekyll Island, Georgia, where she would spend a week eating shrimp and wiggling her toes in the sand at one of her favorite places in the country with some of her favorite people.  During the rest of the year, she actively looked for new recipes, new gardening ideas, cat pictures, and memes.  She was also known to send the occasional inappropriate joke to anyone she was reminded of.

Phyllis is survived by her husband of 48 years, Edward; her children: Ryan (Alisha), Cory (Lisabeth), Quentin (Elizabeth), and Kelcey (Alicia); her grandchildren: Madeline, Emily, and Timothy; her siblings: Rita, Frank, Bill, Bernie, Ann, and Theresa, numerous nieces and nephews.  She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Helen; her infant son, William; and her siblings Mary, Jack, and Sr. Loretta.

She lived her Irish heritage every day, happy to bestow her favorite Irish blessing to anyone: “May your birds always be on top, your foods never touching, and your water as icy cold as it can be”.

Donations in Phyllis’s memory can be made to Bethlehem House in Omaha, Nebraska, one of her favorite organizations to support.