Mary Jean Sohl

She was born in Greeley, CO, on April 6, 1928 and became a Nebraska resident at the age of 2 when she moved to Lincoln with her mother and three brothers.

She graduated from Lincoln High School, class of ‘46, and married Wayne Aaron Sohl on June 11, 1948. Mary Jean and Wayne were married for 54 years.

She worked at the Elgin Watch factory and State Farm Insurance until the birth of the couple’s first son, James Wayne, in 1951. Daughter Carol Ann was born in 1954 and another son, David Scott, was born in 1957.

After the children were well into school Mary Jean worked part-time at Montgomery Ward and later at the State of Nebraska during income tax season. She then took a full-time position at the Nebraska School Activities Association and worked there until she and Wayne both retired. All of this was in addition to her roles as Cub Scout den mother, PTA member, Sunday School teacher, and member of the “Builder’s Class” at her church.

When grandchildren were added to the family she enthusiastically took on the role of master grandparent, attending every concert, sporting event, talent show, and graduation she could and making certain each one knew how proud she was of them and how much they were loved.

Summer vacations while the children were at home found the family camping in Wyoming or at the lake. After retirement travel destinations involved visits with family and friends while seeing as many sites as possible along the way. They cruised the Caribbean and Inland Passage to Alaska, took a bus trip to the East Coast attending baseball games at seven different stadiums along the way, rode a narrow gauge steam train through the Rocky Mountains and rode roller coasters at both Disneyland and Disney World and much, much more.

After Wayne’s passing in 2003, Mary Jean stayed true to her passions of family and service to her church and community. She was a member of Calvary United Methodist Church for over 60 years, a member of Bryan Hospital’s Bryan Board supporting and funding nursing education for over 35 years, was an American Legion Auxiliary member, spent 10 years as a weekly FoodNet volunteer and donated both time and resources to the Heifer Project, the National Federation of the Blind, Boys Town, PBS, KZUM, One World Family and more.

Left to cherish her memory—sons and daughter-in-laws Jim and Ruth, Chandler, AZ, David and Joyce, Lincoln; daughter and son-in-law Carol and Terry Keown, Lincoln; grandchildren, Aaron Sohl, Amanda Swenson and Mikalah Kadavy, Lincoln, Eva Sohl, New Orleans, LA, Katelin Keown and husband Tom Hawley, Chandler, AZ, Benjamin Keown, Lincoln, Tony Sohl and wife Tina, Phoenix, AZ; brother Jerry D. Hill, Vinton, IA.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne; her mother, Grace C. Hill; brothers, Fred L. and Kenneth H. Hill.

A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, October 30, 2021 at 10:00am at Lincoln Memorial Funeral, 6800 South 14th Street, Lincoln, NE 68512. lincolnfh.com