Marjorie Tomjack

Ewing — Marjorie Tomjack, 96, of Ewing, died peacefully on Saturday, March 26, 2022 in her quiet and graceful way while singing Alleluia in her rural Ewing home. In June of 2020, Marge declined further hospital care as she gracefully aged, decided that she would not like to see the inside of a hospital ever again and signed herself up for home hospice.  She instructed her family to sing the Alleluia as she transitioned from this world to the next, and as usual, everything fell into place just as she wished.  

Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, March 31, 2022 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in O'Neill with a 7 p.m. parish rosary.

A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, April 1, 2022 at the church in O'Neill. Fr. Bernard Starman will officiate.

Memorials may be made to the family for future designation.

Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill is in charge of the arrangements.

Marjorie was the oldest of two children born to Walter and Anna (Primus) Summerer on June 14, 1925 in rural Ewing.  

She lived her entire life in the area, marrying Frank (Bud) Tomjack on June 6, 1949 after his return from World War II.  Marjorie and Bud's love story began when she was a teenager and  together they raised 12 children on the ranch they built together in southern Holt County.   

Marjorie was an avid gardener, taking great pride in maximizing the amount of “home grown” food on the table at any given moment, including Uncle Carl's favorite green beans with seeds passed from year to year over many decades. She was a lover of beautiful flowers, with a talent for arranging even the most simple of flowers (often brought to her by grubby little hands) into stunning bouquets that graced the home.  Her garden always included zinnias, prairie roses, cosmos and iris. The most finicky of houseplants blossomed under her care and even today her home is full of blooming orchids, violets, peace plants, Christmas cactus and more.

Marjorie was a teacher, earning her teaching certificate at age 18 through the Normal Training teacher's program, common for rural Nebraska teachers in the 40s. She taught at multiple country schools in the area before she gave up teaching as a formal occupation to grow the ranch and raise her children.  

While the school teaching may have stopped, the next assignment was even more daunting — teaching her 12 unruly-at-times children the life lessons we will never forget. For example, “If you have to raise your voice to get your way, you are doing it wrong,” and “The heart is a funny thing. Just when you think it is completely full and there cannot possibly be more love to give, it grows!” 

Toward the end of her life she taught her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren how to age with grace, accepting God's will and taking the challenges of each day in stride. She took great delight in the day-to-day operations of the ranch, and for years she sent a daily email to her “my kids” distribution list which always included a weather report and highlights of the day including the daily calving count in the spring.  

Marjorie is survived by her 11 children Leanna (Kathy Arens) Tomjack of Ewing, Phyllis (Roger) Rhylander of Blair, Beth (Ken) Clouse of Springfield, Daryl (Jill) Tomjack and Keith (Judy) Tomjack, all of Ewing, Rick (Sheila) Tomjack of Flagstaff, AZ, Bob (Judy) Tomjack and Dave (Dorothy) Tomjack, all of Ewing, Sharlene (Nate) Parry of Helena, MO, Linda (Matt) Brandl of Bennington and Kala (Mark Peterson) Tomjack of Omaha; 40 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren (with two more expected soon, as of this writing); and multitudes of grandchildren in-law, nieces and nephews; she was also loved by many friends, neighbors and caregivers, including the Avera@Home hospice team, who made regular house-calls providing extraordinary care for both the body and the spirit.

She was preceded in death by her husband Bud, her daughter Mary Tomjack Neujahr, her parents Walter and Anna Summerer and her brother Duane Summerer.