Patricia M. Reents

Patricia Mae Reents December 7, 1932 – May 27,2017 Patricia Mae Newman Reents, fondly known to many as Grandma Pat, was born on December 7, 1932 in Hebron, Nebraska. Pat's parents were Reuben Newman and Lilly Monson Newman. Patty and her siblings, John and Judy were all born at home on a farm outside of Hebron, Nebraska. The family moved to an acreage outside of Fairbury, Nebraska and then into town. Pat's mother was a wife and homemaker until the death of Pat's father in 1947 at the age of 44. As a widow, Pat's mother, Lilly, had to provide for the family. Lilly became a nurse's aide at the Lynch Clinic in Fairbury. That meant that Pat, at age 15, had to take on more household responsibilities, looking after her two younger siblings as well as a special care patient that Lilly took in to help make ends meet. Pat attended high school in Fairbury. During her high school years, Pat also got a job as a nurse's aid working at the same clinic that her mother worked in after gaining so much experience in nursing care from caring for the live-in patient. She married Helmuth Reents of Superior, Nebraska on June 8, 1952. The couple lived on a farm in Fairbury, Nebraska where Helmuth farmed and Pat was a homemaker. Some time between 1953 and 1954, the family moved to a small farm outside of Millard called Highpoint Farm and then eventually into Millard where Helmuth bought an old house, tore it down and used the lumber to build a home in what is now the older part of Millard. Helmuth, with the help of Pat, her family, and other friends, built the home, detached garage and a breezeway connecting the two. Three children were born to the union, Daniel, born while the couple lived in Superior, Nebraska and Donald and Deborah, born in Millard. Helmuth provided for his family by being a mechanic and Pat resumed her profession as a nurse's aide at Douglas County Hospital, St Catherine Hospital and Bergen Mercy Hospital. Pat became a widow at age 47 when Helmuth, at age 57, died of complications from a long battle with rheumatoid arthritis. Pat continued to work at Bergen Mercy Hospital. The house in Millard was sold a few years later to the family's long time friends, Harold and Eileen Drake. Pat moved into the Kingwood Apartments in Omaha where she lived for 32 years until just a month before falling ill and moving in with her daughter. She loved living in her apartment and considered the man who managed it, Howard, as well as his family, as dear friends. Pat also worked at the Good Samaritan Home for 16 years after leaving Bergan Mercy Hospital until her retirement at age 69. Her daughter, Deb, and son-in-law, Bob, were especially involved with mom, caring for her needs, physically and emotionally until Pat's death. Helmuth and Pat's home was a safe haven and a favorite place for neighborhood children to come and play. Helmuth and Pat had lots of wonderful things to play with in the back yard, like a a swing set, a play house and a merry-go-round that Dan says Helmuth fashioned. Pat's kids say there were always children in the backyard, even if the family wasn't home. That did not change as Dan, Don, and Deb became teenagers. Many of their high school friends spent time hanging out in the room above the garage, fondly called the “Grand Ball Room,” at the home in Millard. Young people knew they were welcome at her home. Pat kept snacks on top of the refrigerator in the house for her kids and their friends to help themselves to any time. Deb says that one of their friends, Dave, used to come almost every Wednesday night around dinnertime for Pat's famous tuna and noodles. Grandma Pat enjoyed doing crafts. Every year for many years, at Christmastime, she and Deb would create handmade gifts for their family and friends. Pat enjoyed decorating for holidays; two in particular. She would begin just after Thanksgiving and decorate her living room with many pieces of her vast collection of Christmas Village houses. At Easter, she put out many little Easter rabbit figurines. Her apartment was full of beautiful dolls, many seated on little chairs, a wall full of doll hats and stuffed animals on her bed. Pat also collected angel figurines of all kinds. She loved art and enjoyed decorating her home with colorful items she collected from her travels to Colorado and South Padre Island, Texas. Pat loved to read. She also loved to correspond with her loved ones and took trips across the country and to Colorado to visit her cousins. Pat enjoyed going with her daughter Deb, son, Dan, daughter-in-law, Kathy, grandchildren and great-grandchildreng to South Padre Island. She often talked about going on the boat to whale watch. Pat loved animals. In her home in Millard, Pat and the family had many pets over the years. Grandma Pat loved her dog, Missy and her cat, Sammy. After moving to her apartment, she always doted on the pets of other family members. In Grandma Pat's final years, her granddaughter, Kate, would bring over her pup to Grandma Pat's apartment and then to the Good Samaritan Home where Pat spent her final days. She became animated when talking about Deb's cat, Baby Girl and Kate's dachshund, Schroeder. She enjoyed visits from all her children, grandchildren, great-grand children, nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews as well as many friends, both in her home and later at the nursing home. Pat is proceeded in death by her husband of 30 years, Helmuth, by her beloved grandparents Carl and Anna Monson, parents, Reuben Newman and Lilly Monson Newman, her sister-in-law, Shirley Newman, and daughter in law, Kathy Woltemath Reents. Pat is survived by her sister, Judy Jensen, her brother, John Newman, sons, Daniel, Donald (Pam Hooge Reents), and daughter, Deborah Reents Gilsdorf (Bob). Grandma Pat is survived by three grandchildren, Kate Reents, Kathrine Peterson, Nicole Schultz, grandson-in law, Yonathan Peterson, seven great-grand children, Michael Schultz (partner, Kelsey), Tristan Hoffman, Gage Hoffman, Makaela Peterson, Kristofer Peterson, Makenzie Champoux, Seth Champoux, several nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and many friends. CELEBRATION OF LIFE SERVICE 2pm, Saturday, June 17, 2017 at Braman Mortuary, 6505 South 144 Street, Omaha NE. In lieu of flowers, memorials to ASPCA or the Nebraska Humane Society.