Ramona E. Barry

Ramona E. (Konicek) Barry, 90, of Bancroft, Nebraska died on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at Legacy Garden and Rehabilitation Center in Pender. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Bancroft; with Father Paul Ortmeier officiating. The visitation with family present will be held at the church on Monday from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. Burial will be in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Wisner. Memorials may be directed to the family for future designation. Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home of Bancroft is in charge of the arrangements. Ramona was born on April 13, 1923 to John and Helen (Rutledge) Konicek at Dr. Picotte Memorial Hospital in Walthill, Nebraska. She was baptized at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Walthill on May 13, 1923. Ramona attended Martin Roth Elementary School north of Beemer and graduated from Notre Dame Academy at Omaha, Nebraska in 1940. She attended Briar Cliff College, and then graduated in 1944 from St. Vincent Hospital School of Nursing in Sioux City, Iowa as a Registered Nurse. Ramona married Robert Barry of Danbury, Iowa in 1947 at Sioux City. The later divorced. Besides nursing, Ramona chose to lead a very adventurous life, including politics and campaigning for Presidents such as John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter. She later managed a ballroom in Carter Lake, Iowa until it was destroyed by fire. A great achievement of hers was solo piloting a Cessna 150 in Wichita, Kansas in 1965. After managing the ballroom, she decided to move to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she sold real estate. She later moved to Laughlin, Nevada and sold real estate as the town started to build. She did this until her mid 70’s, when her health started to fail. While in Laughlin, Ramona played a large part in getting St. John the Baptist Catholic Church built so all masses did not have to be in a casino. She was strong in her faith, and this was shown in her huge collection of Madonna’s. In 2004, Ramona moved back to St. Joseph’s Retirement Community in West Point, and then Legacy Garden in 2008. Even though Ramona was never able to have children, she took great pride in her nieces and nephews and their children. Ramona made many friends no matter where she lived, and she especially treasured her friendship with “Pudgy”, a life-time friend she met in nursing school. Ramona is survived by her brother Donald (Janice) Konicek of Bancroft, NE and their children, Jeff (Sherry) Konicek of Wisner, NE, Brad Konicek of Wisner, NE, Kellee (Len) Hermelbracht of Bancroft, NE, and Barrey (Melissa) Konicek of Ord, NE, great nieces and great nephews: Stephanie and Kinsey Chandler of Norfolk, NE, Jason, Jill and Tyson Konicek of Norfolk, NE, Anna, Ryan and Peyton Petersen of Bancroft, NE, Kai Konicek of Omaha, NE, Callie Konicek of Kearney, NE, Britney Konicek of Bancroft, NE, Clay Konicek of Norfolk, NE, Sara and Niall Hansen of Lincoln, NE, Travis Hermelbracht of Bancroft, NE, and Sage and Devin Konicek of Ord, NE Ramona is preceded in death by her parents.