Lois 'Eileen' Messersmith

Monday, October 19, 2015

Feb. 5, 1921 - Oct. 17, 2015

HASTINGS, Neb. -- Lois "Eileen" Messersmith of Hastings, formerly of Cambridge, passed away Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015, at the Perkins Good Samaritan Village in Hastings. She was 94 years old.

Eileen was born on Feb. 5, 1921, at Orafino, Nebraska, to Dick and Mae Hayes, Sr. She graduated from Orafino High School in 1939.

On Nov. 19, 1941, she was united in marriage to Eugene Messersmith at North Platte, Nebraska. To this union three children were born, Mary Jo, Steve and Janice. Eileen was a busy mother and homemaker. She and her husband, Eugene, also sold Watkins products for many years. The couple loved taking their grandchildren on Watkins deliveries.

Eileen was a member of the Cambridge United Methodist Church for 50-plus years. She was involved with the Women's Society and treasurer of the Memorial Fund. She was also a member of several extension clubs and delivered the daily devotionals to the hospital once a month. She participated in card groups, and was an active member of the Cambridge Senior Center. Her hobbies included gardening, cooking and baking. She was especially noted for her homemade noodles, angel food cake and peanut butter balls. She was a devoted mother and grandmother and she would go above and beyond for family and friends. She loved baking chocolate chip cookies with her grandchildren and taking them to the Cambridge Museum. One of her favorite pasttimes was playing spinner dominoes with her grandchildren. Her family has many special memories of their time together. She enjoyed holidays spent with family and friends and she will be greatly missed.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Dick and Mae Hayes; her husband, Eugene Messersmith on May 4, 1995; daughter, Mary Jo Dutton; great-grand-daughter, Kylee Lynn; and brother, Richard B. Hayes, Jr.

Survivors include her children, Stephen Messersmith and wife, Renee, and Janice and her husband, Gary Shearer, all of Hastings; nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; and sister-in-law, Yvonna Hayes of Cambridge

Memorials may be given in her name to the Cambridge United Methodist Church or Cambridge Senior Center.

Visitation will be Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, at Lockenour Jones Mortuary in Cambridge from 1 to 8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 6 to 8 p.m.

Memorial services will be Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, 10:30 a.m. at Cambridge United Methodist Church with Rev. Jeff Wulf officiating. Inurnment will follow in the Cambridge Cemetery.

Lockenour-Jones Mortuary of Cambridge is in charge of the arrangements.