Barbara J. Friedel

Kearney — Barbara Jane Friedel, 87, of Kearney, formerly of Stuart, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025 at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.

Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 at Seger Funeral Home in Stuart with a 7 p.m. rosary.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Stuart.

Burial will be in the St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery in Stuart.

Memorials may be made to the family for future designation.

Barbara was born to Ila (Cobb) and Ward Flannigan on March 6th, 1938, in Stuart.

She was called home to be with her Lord while surrounded by her loving family on Oct. 11, 2025.

Barbara was raised in Stuart, along with her five siblings in a home filled with faith, love and laughter. 

She attended Stuart Public School and graduated class of 1955. After graduation she moved to Omaha where she worked.

She returned to the Stuart area where she married James Friedel on Oct. 18, 1956. To this union four children were born. The family lived on a farm south of Stuart where they operated a dairy farm for many years.

Barb found a calling to work as a paraprofessional in the country school system where she touched so many lives.  She loved each of her students as if they were family. 

In 2020 Jim and Barb moved to Kearney so that they could be closer to family.

Barb loved a good book, playing piano, going to horse shows, doing puzzles and baking which everyone got to enjoy. With a song forever in her heart, Barb's gentle humming filled every room with warmth and joy. The thing she loved the most was time spent with family. 

Barb is survived by her son Tim (Janice) Friedel of Kearney; three daughters Sue (Byron) Maxson, Lea Jane Friedel and Marcee (Tom) Johnson, all of Kearney; seven grandchildren Jamie (Randy) Bentz, Timothy (Teckla) Friedel, Dustin (Racheal) Maxson, Jared Maxson, Kylee (Tyler) Vreugdenhil, Skylar  (Zach) Vincent and Derek Johnson; eight great grandchildren; and two brothers Randy Flannigan of Loveland, CO and Jeff Flannigan of San Diego, CA. 

She was preceded in death by her parents Ward and Ila Flannigan, her husband James, two brothers Dan and Roger Flannigan and one sister Dianne Ienn.