Leola Mae McCain of Burwell passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home at Sargent, Nebraska on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at the age of 94.
Leola Mae was born November 22, 1930, to Alton Herbert and Clara Bessie (Miller) Bentley in Wheeler County, at Sheridan, Nebraska, on the family home which was the Sheridan Post Office. The home was northwest of Bartlett and in 1938, the family settled on a farm/ranch on the Garfield-Wheeler County line.
Leola received her education in Wheeler County schools through the eighth grade then went to high school at Bartlett while living in the dormitory located west of the school and graduated in 1948.
On March 20, 1948, Leola was united in marriage to EDD McCain at Vermillion, South Dakota. The couple spent their married life living around Bartlett and Atkinson; spent a year in Gunter, Texas then returned to the Burwell area. While in Bartlett, EDD and Leola owned and operated a grocery store and Leola was a waitress at Ranch House Inn. For seven years, they lived and worked on the Price Ranch in Burwell and Leola helped EDD in the hayfields and during calving. In October of 1987, they settled in Burwell. Leola worked at the Pump and Pantry for fifteen years and at the nursing home for two years.
She was a member of the of the St. John’s Lutheran Church of Burwell and served on the altar guild. She was a 60-year member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Bartlett and Burwell and served as President.
Leola enjoyed hosting family and friends in her home, enjoying coffee, lots of laughter and conversations. Her house was always filled with laughter and of family and friends and beautiful flowers and plants that she was so good at growing.
Survivors include her children, EDD of Grand Island, Rocky of Ord, Lennie of Casa Grande, Arizona, Lannie of Alliance, Cheryl (Steve) Conner of Sargent, Kim Wagner of Ord; daughter-in-law, Barb McCain of O’Neill; twenty-four grandchildren; forty-four great-grandchildren; fifteen great-great-grandchildren; nieces Linda (Terry) Leitschuck and Laura Emde and their families of Grand Island; in-laws, Jenny Wildman of Lawson, MO, Ronald “Flash” McCain of Georgia and Darold Werkmeister of O’Neill; and many nieces, nephews and cousins of the past 4 generations that will miss Leola deeply.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband EDD who passed away on April 7, 2000; her son, David McCain; grandson, Jeremi McCain; sister and brother-in-law, Lois and Andy Emde; an infant brother; in-laws, Lon, Jenny and Willard, Wayne and Laura, Ralph and Lula, Vern and Juanita, Earl and Shirley, Ruth and Jack Lenker, Veda and Ray Wibbels, Laurel (Tiny-Fister-Werkmeister) and Gene (Shep) Foster, Jerry Wildman, and Donna McCain; nephew, Larry Emde; and many nieces and nephews.
Leola’s wishes were to be cremated. Inurnment Graveside Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 8, 2025, in the Bartlett Cemetery at Bartlett, Nebraska Pastor Tim Reicks will officiate. Memorials are suggested to the St. John’s Lutheran Church of Burwell or American Legion Auxiliary of Burwell.
Online condolences may be left at www.stillwatersfuneralparlor.com
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