Phyllis Joan Breitbarth

Phyllis Joan (Kai) Breitbarth, 82, of West Point, Nebraska, formerly of Pender and Bancroft, NE, died on Saturday, December 11, 2010 at her home in West Point. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at 10:30 A.M. at St. John's Lutheran Church near Pender, with Pastor Richard Pingel officiating. The visitation will be held on Tuesday from 3:00 until 8:00 P.M. at the Munderloh Funeral Home in Pender, with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. Burial will be in the St. John's Lutheran Church Cemetery. Phyllis Joan Breitbarth, the daughter of John and Edith (Case) Kai, was born on May 21, 1928 at the family farm house east of Pender. She was baptized on July 29, 1928 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wayne County, and confirmed on March 29, 1942 by R. L. Shipwright at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Pender, NE. She attended grade school in Thurston County at District #31 and attended Pender High School through her junior year. At that time her mother, Edith, was severely burned and Phyllis left school to assume the role of caregiver for her mother and younger siblings. She was united in marriage on April 4th, 1948, to Emery Breitbarth at St. Mark's Lutheran Church. The couple farmed near Pender and Phyllis worked at various grocery stores until they moved to Bancroft in 1979. She then worked part-time at the Country Pub. In 2001 the couple moved to West Point, NE. Phyllis was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church and the Ladies Aide . She was also a member of the Lloyd E. McLaughlin 6928 Ladies Auxiliary of Pender. Phyllis and Emery enjoyed many years of dancing with friends, playing cards and attending activities of their grandchildren. She greatly enjoyed the companionship of her friends at the Sunshine Senior Center in West Point. Phyllis enjoyed listening to old music and having lunch with her cousins. Her family was very important to her and spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren was a favorite pass time. She will be dearly missed by every life she touched. Phyllis is survived by her three daughters and their husbands: Karen and Ron Westerhold of Pender, NE; Jan and Brad Craig of Poncha Springs, CO; and Nancy and Butch Suhr of Pender, NE, as well as six grandchildren and six great grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers: Dale Kai and Bill Kai of South Sioux City, NE, and one sister, Charlotte Roth of Pender, and sisters-in-law Diann Kai, Linda Kai, Aggie Deal, Edna Bettenhausen and Marie Breitbarth, brothers-in-law Ralph and Arlie Breitbarth, Harry Breitbarth and Art and Oma Breitbarth. Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, John and Edith Kai, her husband Emery in 2003, a brother Jack Kai, two sisters: Bonnie Simonsen and Charlene Kai, granddaughter Michele Craig, and an infant grandson, brothers-in-law Wilmer Bettenhausen, Gordon Simonsen, Leroy Breitbarth; sisters-in-law Elaine Kai, Elaine Breitbarth and Mylet Breitbarth.