Ramona Ollendorf

Ramona Joyce (Hudson) Ollendorf, 88 passed away peacefully on October 23, 2023 after a brief stay at Stone Hearth Estates in Gothenburg, Nebraska. 

She was born south of Cozad, Nebraska on August 28, 1935, the daughter of Guy and Astrid T Hudson. She married Robert (Bob) Charles Ollendorf on August 27, 1955. Ramona is survived by her three daughters, Robin (Robert) Sowder, Fairborn, OH; RoxAnne (Mike) Schroeder, Gothenburg, NE; and Sheri Schwarz, Cozad, NE.

Ramona attended and graduated from Brady High School in 1953 and went on to attend Kearney State College. This allowed her to teach at two of the area rural one room schools, Jeffery Queen and Union School, in the hills for two years. During that time, she met her future husband, Bob, and often joked that she got the best premium because he had worked at a gas station that gave out drink glass premiums with each tank of gas. After a brief courtship, they were married and started their family. Ramona was a homemaker most of the time her daughters were growing up. She was a Girl Scout leader, a member of the Garden Club, Art Club, and a charter member of the Gothenburg Historical Society. She enjoyed sewing, painting, photography, attending auctions, playing Scrabble and especially collecting and reading books of historical significance. Eventually, her love of auctions led to the owning and operating Arjay’s Collectibles. While operating Arjay’s she relished long conversations with the many local people and those passing through town.

Aside from Ramona’s daughters, she is survived by five grandchildren - Stacy (Matthew) Zehringer, Erik (Carolyn) Sowder, Preston Schroeder, Cassy (Jon) Smith, and Kyle (Vanessa) Schwarz and eight great-grandchildren She is also survived by her sister, Sandra Coble (Torrey Kloppenborg) and many nieces and nephews that will also miss her.   

Ramona was preceded in death by her parents, Guy and Astrid, husband, Bob, brother, Dan Hudson, and grandson, Ryan Schwarz.

Visitation and funeral will be held at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, 620 10th Street, Gothenburg, NE, Saturday, October 28, 2023 at 11:00 am with visitation taking place two hours prior to the funeral.   

Burial will follow in the Gothenburg Cemetery, Gothenburg, Nebraska.

Memorials may be given to the Gothenburg Historical Society, Gothenburg Library Foundation, or donors’ choice.