Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Jeannette E. Hayden

Jeannette E. Hayden, 100, of Kimball, died at the Kimball County Manor on Tuesday, September 12, 2023. Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, September 18, 2023 at the First English Lutheran Church in Kimball with Pastor Randy Bohac officiating. Burial followed in the Kimball Cemetery. Friends called at the funeral home on Sunday from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m.

Friends can also visit http://www.cantrellfh.com to view her Tribute Wall and leave condolences and stories for the family. Memorials may be given in Jeannette's memory to either the First English Lutheran Church or the Kimball County Manor Resident Fund. The services for Jeannette have been entrusted to the Cantrell Funeral Home.

Jeannette Elizabeth Hayden was born on the family farm north of Hastings on December 25, 1922, the daughter of John and Trientje (Rothfuss) Boltjes. When she was 9 years old, the family moved to a farm near Cambridge, Nebraska and Jeannette attended and graduated from the Cambridge High School in 1940.

On December 25, 1947, she was married to E.J. "Manny" Hayden at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Cambridge, Nebraska. To this union Loel and Lynn were born. The family lived in Lincoln, Edgar and Kenesaw, Nebraska before settling in Kimball.

Jeannette had always been a woman of many talents, for 6 fulfilling years she taught in rural schools. She also worked as an underwriter for Farm Bureau Insurance, her meticulous nature and understanding complex policies made her excel in this field. She later did the bookkeeping for the lumber yards that Manny managed. She was the Deputy County Treasurer for Kimball County for 3 years, making sure that the taxpayer funds were handled with care and transparency. Jeannette also worked for Alden Insurance for 13 years. She later joined Lamberson Accounting for 3 years, where her experiences in education, insurance and finance came together. Jeannette was also a foster "Grandma" for 15 years.

Survivors include her sons Lynn (Pamela) Hayden of Kimball, NE., and Loel (Melody) Hayden of Sioux City, IA; grandchildren Jamie Hayden of Seward, NE., Randee (Chad) Waterman of Evanston, WY., Charisma (Ray) Franke-Wood of Sioux City, IA., Adam (Cara) Hayden of Sioux City, IA., Zach (Alyssa) Hayden of Swansboro, NC., and Cody Hayden of Sioux City, IA, and 14 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, 3 brothers Herman Boltjes, Henry (Ida) Boltjes, and Virgil (Vietta) Boltjes, sister Violet (Jim) Nelson and numerous nieces and nephews.