Lois R. Gaskins, 92

Lois R. Gaskins, 92, left us on March 1, 2025 at Box Butte General Hospital, Alliance, NE. She was residing in Alliance at Highland Park Assisted Living. Lois was a lifelong resident in Cherry County, she was a wise and beloved matriarch and was fondly referred to as “Mrs. Eli”. There will be a small graveside service for family and friends April 19, 2025, 1:00 p.m., MST at Prairie Lawn Cemetery, Cody, NE.

Lois R. Belsky was born to Guy and Wilma( Young) Belsky November 25,1932 in Eli, NE. She attended primary school in Eli and graduated high school in Cody. She attended Hastings Teachers College and taught at rural schools near Eli.

Lois married Tom Gaskins August 1, 1952. To this union three children were born, Joel 1953 in Gordon, Janet 1955 and Judith (Judi) 1957, both in Kimball, NE. The couple worked for local ranchers and Lois taught school in Cherry County.

They moved to Kimball so Tom could pump oil wells. In February of 1958, Lois, Tom and family moved to Oklahoma where Tom’s family resided. Lois worked raising their family and enjoyed growing vegetable gardens while Tom pumped oil wells, and they raised cattle together. They lived in numerous places in Oklahoma: Bristow, Slick, Shawnee, and Earlsboro.

In 1966, the family moved back to Eli, NE, and bought the Belsky Store from Lois’s dad. Lois ran the general store, post office, central telephone office and assisted ranchers with windmill repairs and parts. Tom began working for Clyde Weber Welding in 1967 and he eventually started his own business in 1978, tower building and working on windmills.

Lois continued to operate the store, kept books for the business as well as feeding Tom’s employees and together they raised their family.

Lois and Tom always had cattle and increased their herd to around 200 head to calve out each year. They purchased the ranch of Lois’s uncle, Ilo Belsky and continued ranching for many more years there in South Dakota. After retirement and closing the Belsky Store, in 1994, Lois and Tom enjoyed traveling with their camper and went on bus tours. Together they saw 34 states, seven Canadian provinces and entered Mexico.

Lois continued to be involved with the ranching even after Tom passed in 1997. She also continued to travel and achieved visiting all 50 states, seven provinces and went on a cruise through the Panama Canal in Central America. Lois sold and left Eli in 2014 and moved to Valentine. She lived independently until July 2017 when she moved into Cherry Hills Estates Assisted Living. There she met so many wonderful friends, had amazing, loving caregivers, and enjoyed developing strong bonds with staff, residents, and many visitors.

Lois enjoyed crocheting, doing puzzles, embroidering, and growing flowers. Due to health reasons, Lois moved to Highland Park Assisted Living in July 2024. She was closer to some family members and her daughter, Janet, though her heart and mind were always on her roots in Cherry County.

Lois is survived by her son, Joel of Billings, MT; daughters, Janet Laleff of Alliance, Judi (David) Dunning of Colorado Springs, CO; and brother, Gene (Anna Marie) Belsky of Gordon, NE. She has seven grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and four great, great grandchildren.

Preceding Lois to heaven were her parents; husband, Tom; brother, Bob; and grandchild, Abigail.

Instead of flowers please make a donation in memory of Lois to the American Heart Association or the Kidney Foundation.