Ellie Mae Rees

Ellie Mae Mary Rees age 86 of Concord, Nebraska died on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at her residence.

Funeral services will be on Monday, February 26, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at the Evangelical Free Church in Concord with the Rev. Todd Thelen officiating. Burial will be at the Concord Cemetery in Concord, NE. Visitation will be on Monday morning, at church, from 9-11:00 a.m.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Laurel, Nebraska.

Pallbearers will be Rick Rees, Jim Rees, Jeff Rees, Brian Rees, Alex Barbosa-Rewinkel, Sebastian Barbosa, Koinn Rees, and Zach Rees.

 Ellie Mae was born on March 5, 1937 in Scribner, Nebraska to Ferdinand and Helen (Matejka) Kleeman.  She grew up in Webster and Hooper and graduated from Hooper High School in 1955.  Ellie Mae attended a semester at Wayne State Teacher’s College. She married Richard Thomas Rees on July 11, 1955 in Vermillion, SD. They moved to Concord in 1963. Seven children were born to this union – Randy, Jennifer, Rick, James, Jeff, Brian, and Brenda.  Ellie Mae and Richard later divorced.  She remained in Concord for the rest of her life. Ellie Mae worked at Gibson, Pamida, and then Shopko in Wayne for many years. She sewed jackets for the Wayne Sporting Goods Store.  Ellie Mae also worked at Wittig’s Grocery and at Walbaum’s.

 She was an avid sewer, quilter, loved to read, raised a garden and canned and froze her produce.

 Ellie Mae is survived by her six children Jennifer (Tom) Lockhart of Colorado Springs, CO, Rick Rees of Concord, James (Peggy) Rees of Concord, Jeff (Linda) Rees of Arizona City, AZ, Brian (Lori) Rees of Lincoln, Brenda Rewinkel of Lincoln; nine grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; one sister Betty Bothwell of Concord.

 Ellie Mae was preceded in death by her parents, and son Randy.