Twila Irene Sperry

June 1,1930-August 30, 2023

Twila Irene (Voss) Sperry was born on June 1,1930, in Hebron Nebraska and passed into the presence of the Lord on August 30, 2023, in Richardson Texas. She lived most of her 93 years of life near family and friends in Lincoln, Nebraska. She was a beautiful daughter, the “middle child”, born to Edith (Bell) Voss and Martin Voss at home, and grew up in a large and active family with her eight brothers and sisters, and one cousin. She loved to tell the stories of her family, and how the siblings were close and how they cared for one another. She often spoke of how her mother taught all of them life skills that would sustain them during the Great Depression, World War II and beyond. Her father Martin was a commercial painter who traveled in the area with his own business of Voss & Sons.

As a child, she lived in Carleton, Fairbury, and Omaha, and then later moved to Lincoln, where she attended Lincoln Northeast High School. She was an excellent student and graduated in 1948. During high school she became an avid roller skater, and she met her first husband Gerald Da Moude while skating. She eventually took a liking to him, “after his persistent attention” (in her words) and then fell completely in love, and married him on February 12, 1949. They enjoyed 15 sweet years of marriage, adopted two children, Danielle in 1960 and Dwyane in 1963, and built a home in Havelock. They worked at Elgin Watch Company together, then later, Gerald became a printer for the Lincoln Journal Star Newspaper. They loved their lives together, traveled and spent time with friends. But sadly, Gerald became ill with cancer and passed away in 1965.

While a single parent, Twila became an accomplished bowler, and met her second husband, Rex Sperry, while bowling at Bowl-Mor Lanes in Lincoln. Rex said that he “took one look at her and was smitten”, and they married on July 1,1967. Through the years, they enjoyed their mutual hobby of bowling in leagues and tournaments, placing well in city and state competitions. They passed their love of bowling to their children. As a result, son Dwyane went on to develop a career as an outstanding bowler, instructor and coach of the sport, which made Twila very proud. In later years, she was honored and welcomed into the Nebraska Bowling Hall of Fame.

She bowled regularly until age 91 years, with her oxygen support in her “monkey” backpack! One reporter, who saw her in action, was prompted to ask his readers, “What’s YOUR excuse?”

To the delight of her children, Twila worked for a time at Russell Stover’s Candies. While there, she developed the ability to “read” the chocolates from the top, knowing just what the filling type was inside. She was always right, about chocolates, and many other wise things in life. Later, she took a position at Dorsey Laboratories (Novartis) in the Quality Assurance Department. She worked 20 years for them, retiring in 1993, every day ensuring that no pharmaceuticals passed her sharp eyes without being a safe and perfect product for the consumer.

She and Rex always tended their home and gardens together, they grew lovely flowers, and busied themselves at home with family and beloved pets, Sammy and Scooter. She served and cared for Rex during his many years of heart illness, and accompanied him to Houston Texas for life-saving heart surgery by the famous Dr. Denton Cooley in 1987. After the surgery, she supported his health for 20 years until he passed away just two weeks before their 40th wedding anniversary.

Twila had a servant’s heart like her mother Edith, providing dinners for her newly-widowed sister Darlene each night, for years, so that she would not have dinners alone. She also spent many hours listening to family members on the phone, supporting them, and giving love and encouragement. She was always there when she was needed. No doubt, AT&T built an empire from the long distance charges of her frequent calls to family, who lived in other cities and states. Her longest calls were to her daughter in Texas. Twila’s home and heart was always available to her family; they all could count on her to help them. She attended all of her children’s sporting events, music concerts and honors programs; she supported them in their ideas, encouraged them to be bold, and reminded them to be responsible. She was always early and ready to help with boundless energy. Wildly creative, she had the ability to paint and sketch well, to sew anything even without a pattern, to crochet and to create beautiful crafts that she gave away as gifts. She made hundreds of warm hats which she donated to the Lincoln City Mission; they were so well-received.

Twila’s generosity in everything flowed outward from her faith in God, which she embraced as a young girl in the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. She passed that faith to her children by making certain that the Bible was taught to them early. She knew that at the end of her life, God was waiting to take her hand and bring her to Heaven because of what Jesus had done for her on the cross. She was a determined and grateful 17 year cancer survivor and maintained activity until her last day. She was the kind of person who would stand on the porch and wave goodbye until she could no longer see your car driving away. She cared deeply every day until the end of her days. Her family knows she is waiting for them now with joy beside her Savior, with complete healing from illness, and of course, with a stash of chocolate candy. Twila was predeceased by parents; Edith and Martin Voss, husband; Gerald George Da Moude, husband; Rex Adaire Sperry, brothers; Melvin Voss of Del Rio, TX, Wilbur Dee Voss of Lincoln NE, and Myron Voss of Yucca, AZ, sisters; Pauline V. Voss of Sacramento CA, Darlene J. Hoffman of Lincoln, NE, Donna Ruth Voss of Omaha, NE and cousin Gene Leonard of Albuquerque, NM.

She is survived by her children; Danielle L. Johnston (Gordon) of Richardson TX, Dwyane R. Da Moude (Toni) of Roca NE, sisters; Gloria Masse of Roseville, CA, and Karan Shepard of Bellevue NE, grandchildren; Stephen Mariscal of Lincoln NE, Robbert Wickizer of Lincoln NE, Kyle Da Moude of Lincoln NE, Zacque Da Moude of Lincoln NE, Robyn Atkinson of Roca NE, Ashton Atkinson of Tooele UT, Bergen Johnston (Jordan Lambrecht) of Lincoln NE, Grey Johnston (Alyssa) of Austin TX, Heath Johnston of Richardson TX, and great-grandchildren; Miley Da Moude of Holland NE, Kinslee Trumble of Lincoln NE and many cousins, nieces and nephews, and grand nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Twila’s life will be held at 2:00pm on Friday October 6th, 2023 at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, 6800 S 14th St, Lincoln NE 68512

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