Lenore Weatherby

Lenore Weatherby, daughter of George and Mary McCracken, was born October 5, 1929 in Topeka, KS and died January 4, 2019 at the age of 89 in Omaha, NE. Lenore graduated from Valley Falls High School in 1947. She received her teaching degree from Emporia State University in Emporia, KS in 1951 after teaching kindergarten for one year in Abilene, KS.

During the summer of 1950 she met Dave Weatherby at Emporia State University and on June 24, 1951 they were married in Valley Falls, KS. They moved to Eldorado, KS where Lenore taught K-8th grade music. As well as Eldorado, KS, Lenore and Dave lived in Jefferson City, MO, Kansas City, KS, Mount Prospect, IL and Indianola, IA where they lived for 41 years until moving to Omaha, NE in 2009 to be closer to their daughters and their families.

Lenore taught preschool at Elk Grove Village Preschool in Elk Grove Village, IL and was instrumental in starting Martensdale Preschool in Martensdale, IA. She assisted in starting three-year-old classes at Indianola Preschool and served as the Director/Teacher until she retired in 1989. She took a special interest in each of her preschoolers and worked hard to successfully prepare them for kindergarten.

In her early years her hobbies and interests included playing the piano, coronet and violin as well as tap dancing and horseback riding. She was an active member of Indianola First United Methodist Church, led the Cherub Choir for several years and enjoyed singing in the church choir. Lenore was a member of PEO Chapter JV, Monday Club and Delta Kappa Gamma. She and her husband developed a love for traveling and were involved in Friendship Force during which they traveled worldwide and met friends from other cultures. Lenore’s family was the most important aspect of her life and her favorite thing was to spend time with them.

Surviving are her daughters, Mary Frances (Joel) Suhr of Omaha, NE and their daughter Jennifer Suhr of Omaha, NE and Julie Ann (Warren) Higgins of Fremont, NE and their children Brad Higgins (Alexandria Cudworth and son Elijah) of Omaha, NE and Michelle (Reece) Kresser and son Benjamin of Tiburon, CA.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband, Dave, and her son-in-law, Joel.

Burial will take place in Valley Falls, KS on January 12, 2019 at 11:45am followed by lunch at the Valley Falls United Methodist Church. A Celebration of Life Service will take place at Indianola First United Methodist Church at 11:00 am on February 9th with lunch to follow service.

Memorials may be made to the Indianola First United Methodist Church. Please make checks payable to Indianola First United Methodist Church with “Lenore Weatherby Memorial” on the memo line and mail to Mary Suhr, 5549 N. 140th St, Omaha, NE 68164.