Lydia I. Greder, 74

Lydia Irene (Ambrose) Greder was born September 28, 1948, in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, to Joseph C. and Patricia (Brenneman) Ambrose. She passed away at the age of 74 with family at her side at the family farm in Johnstown, on June 7, 2023.

Lydia spent much of her childhood in southern Wisconsin. She graduated from Kenosha Senior High School in Kenosha, WI, in 1966. Following graduation, she attended Sioux Falls College in Sioux Falls, SD, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education with a minor in psychology.

She found her first teaching job in 1970 as a first-grade teacher at Lila McAndrew Elementary School in Ainsworth. Soon after moving to Ainsworth, she met a local farm boy from Johnstown, Royce Greder, at a card party. A few months later, Lydia’s friends invited Royce to go with them and Lydia to the drive-in theater in Long Pine. After that the two started dating. After dating for some time, Royce asked Lydia if she could be a farm wife, and she said, “Yes.” The two were later married at Zion Lutheran Church in Ainsworth on August 19, 1972. Less than a year later, Lydia and Royce fell in love with a farmstead northeast of Johnstown and became the proud owners in 1973. Lydia took a break from teaching starting in 1974 when she had her first child, Anthony, and remained a stay-athome mom while she raised him, her second son, Timothy, and daughter, Karla.

When all three children were older and in school, her passion for teaching led her to return to the classroom. She taught for several years at a number of small, rural schools in Brown, Cherry and Keya Paha counties. Her last full-time teaching job was at Springview Elementary in Springview. After retiring from teaching full time in 2013, Lydia continued to substitute teach at Springview Elementary up until a few months before her death for her good friend, Melody Nelson. She also taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School at Zion Lutheran Church where she was a member.

She was active in several organizations over the years. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Iota, an organization dedicated to promoting the advancement of education. She also belonged to the Dorcas Society at Zion Lutheran Church. For many years while her children were young, she was involved in 4-H, assisting her children with their 4-H projects, attending many 4-H youth fairs and helping build 4-H floats for the annual Brown County Fair Labor Day parade. As a member of the Johnstown Tree Board, she also helped to plant and nurture numerous trees throughout the community.

As well as the affection she had for the many young students she taught over the years, Lydia was a loving, compassionate and devoted mother and grandmother. She was an avid reader and shared that passion with her children and grandchildren, reading books to them when they were young and giving them books as gifts for Christmas and birthdays. She encouraged her students, children and grandchildren to make the most of their talents and to pursue their dreams.

Lydia loved the outdoors and loved growing all types of flowers and plants. She entered many beautiful arrangements that she handpicked from her gardens at the annual Brown County Fair in Johnstown, winning numerous ribbons. She also planted and tended flowers at Zion Lutheran Church. She adored animals, especially cats. She was also an avid collector of Barbie dolls, stamps, coins and magnets. She also enjoyed the challenge of piecing together jigsaw puzzles with her sisters, children and grandchildren when they came to visit.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph C. Ambrose and Patricia Anderson; stepfather, Joseph Anderson; stepsister, Becky (Gordon) Peters; father-in-law, David Greder, and mother-in-law, Violet Greder; sister-in-law, Barbara Peterson, and brother-in-law, Arne Peterson.

Lydia is survived by her husband and best friend, Royce; children, Anthony (Kirk) Greder of Lincoln, Timothy Greder of San Diego, CA, and Karla (Luke) Parker of Malcolm; grandchildren, Isaac, Leah and Barrett Parker of Malcolm; sisters, Cherie (Eric) Siler and Suzanne Keller of Denver, CO; stepsister, Deborah (Jim) Desjean of San Antonio, TX; stepbrother, Jim (Paulette) Anderson of Elizabeth City, NC; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services were held on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Ainsworth. Pastor Lynn Christensen officiated at the service. Music was provided by Georgia Williams as she accompanied the congregation singing “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today, Alleluia” and “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”. Casketbearers were: Bernie Hart, Scotty Nelson, Mark Johnson, Greg Jochem, Dan Lentz and Bob Miles. Honorary Casketbearers were: All of Lydia’s fellow teachers and former students. Memorials were suggested to the Sandhills Cancer Fund, the Brown County Ag Society Horticultural Department, the Zion Lutheran Church Flower Fund or to the donor’s choice in Lydia’s name. Interment was in the Ainsworth Cemetery at Ainsworth under the direction of the Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth. Online condolences may be left for the family at www. hochfuneralhome.com.