Marian Lucille (Bakewell) Lanka, born March 31, 1932, went to be with Jesus, her Lord and Savior, on Sunday, August 27, 2023 at the age of 91. She was the oldest child of Myron and Velna (Bay) Bakewell.
Marian grew up on the farm west of Stapleton, Nebraska along with her two sisters, Judy and Arlene. She attended Nesbit grade school and Baker Rural High at Stapleton. She wed Elton C. Lanka in Stapleton, Nebraska on August 5, 1951 in a double wedding ceremony with Elton’s sister Lorna Lanka and Laron Wright, at the Presbyterian Church in Stapleton. They lived in a baled hay house on the Lanka ranch north of Stapleton. She taught at the Cody Lake school for several years. In 1960 they moved with their four children into a new house that viewed Cody Lake. Marian helped with much of the ranch; working cattle, calving, and haying, along with raising the children. Going to Sunday School and church was the Sunday priority. Marian was a mail carrier for the north route out of Stapleton for 32 years. She loved helping with school where a daughter taught and then helping to homeschool a number of great-grandchildren for the past 20 plus years.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Myron and Velna Bakewell; husband, Elton; brother-in-law, Frank Lanka; step-mother, Wilma (Foight) Bakewell; son-in-law, Mike Pollnow; and step sister-in-law, Beth Foight.
She is survived by daughters, Diane (Cecil Lee) Wonch of Gandy, NE, Vanessa (George) Grimsley of Blanchard, OK, Sue Pollnow of Eaton, CO; and son Rex (Bethany) Lanka of Stapleton, NE; sisters, Judy (Clarence) Lanka of Stapleton, NE, Arlene (Tom) Collins of Shawnee, KS; sisters-in-law, Lorna Lane of Kearney, NE, Connie Krusinowski of Omaha, NE; brother-in-law, Kenneth E. (Margie) Lanka of Lincoln, NE; step-sister, Darla Parker of North Platte, NE; step-brother, Lyle Foight of Paxton, NE; 10 grandchildren, Travi (D’Arcy) Rambali of McCook, NE, Angie (Daniel) Hoppe of, Stapleton, NE, Lee (DanDee) Wonch of Arnold, NE, Amanda (Mike) Fletcher of Arnold, NE, Adam (Melani) Wonch of Gandy, NE, Josh Nelson of Urbandale, IA, Ranae (DJ) Selmeyer of Lansing, MI, Samantha (Chris) Ewing of Mt. Pleasant, TN, Owen (Kim) Johnson, Eaton, CO, Luke (Maggie) Johnson of Gering, NE, 32 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who will miss her great smile and many acts of kindness.
Memorials are suggested in her name. Online condolences can be shared at www.adamsswanson.com
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. CST on Friday, September 1, 2023 at the Gandy Community Bible Church, Gandy, NE, with Pastor Lee Wonch officiating. Burial will follow the service at Loup Valley Cemetery, Stapleton, NE. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. CST on Thursday at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home in North Platte, NE.
The service will be livestreamed at www.adamsswanson.com for those unable to attend. Adams & Swanson Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.