Audrey Marie (Appleby) Diamond was born on December 21, 1930, and passed away at Good Samaritan Society Home in Superior, Nebraska, on May 21, 2021, at the age of 90 years and 5 months.
Audrey was born to Howard and Argie (Pierce) Appleby on their farm near Formoso, Kansas. Audrey spent her entire life in Jewell County, with the exception of six summers when she attended Fort Hays State, acquiring a teaching certificate.
As a child, Audrey attended Hawthorne Country School for 7 ½ years, and Formoso for ½ year. She attended Lovewell High for 3 years, and Formoso High her senior year, graduating in 1948. In the fall of 1948, she began her teaching career and taught for a total of six years in Webber, Woodlawn Country (rural Jewell Co.), and Jewell schools. Audrey enjoyed her students very much, and would reminisce about them often. After teaching, she was a hardworking farm wife.
On August 10, 1952, she married Bertus Diamond at her home in Formoso. They enjoyed sixty years together. To this union two children were born: Ricky Wayne of Mankato, Kansas, and Rebecca Ann (Becky) of Kearney, Nebraska. Bert was a farmer, and they spent most of their married life on a farm in Sinclair Township. In 1996, they retired and moved to Mankato.
Audrey was baptized in the Courtland Christian Church on March 18, 1951. She belonged to the Lovewell Methodist Church, and later the Webber Methodist Church, and was involved in women’s groups of both congregations. She could always be counted on to donate chickens for any soup supper.
Audrey loved communicating with neighbors and family. She was a member of the Lovewell Library Club, and worked as a reporter for the Jewell County Record. She was a dedicated and delightful pen pal, especially to her relatives and great-grandchildren. She was a whiz at word games, like Scrabble, and loved a good crossword puzzle. She also loved playing cards, and was known to play kickball with her great grandkids from time to time as well.
Audrey had various hobbies and interests. She loved collecting coins and angel figurines. She had a tender sport for most living creatures, but feeding “her” birds was of the utmost importance. Audrey was an accomplished seamstress, from upholstering furniture to making clothes for her entire family. In later years, she began quilting, and delighted the family with her generous gifts. But her greatest pleasure was extending hospitality to any visitor and supplying them with her fresh baked goods. In her home, there was always a cup of coffee available.
She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Bert; her parents, two brothers, Edwin and Arnold; an infant sister, Doris, and nephew, Ward Appleby. She is survived by a sister, Eileen Erickson of Courtland, Kansas; a brother, Dennis Appleby of Wichita Falls, Texas; son, Rick Diamond (Sheila) of Mankato, daughter Becky Butts (Mark) of Kearney, three granddaughters: Nicolette Zeigler (Travis) of Wamego, Kansas; Ashley Clark (Derek) of Superior, Nebraska; and Erin Johnson (Tyler) of Urbandale, Iowa; great grandchildren Byron and Jackson Zeigler; Dayne and Levi Clark; Addilyn Asher, Elias and Albert Johnson.
Funeral Services will be held 10:30 a.m., on Thursday, May 27th, 2021, at the Harmony United Methodist Church in Mankato, with Pastor Jim Rice officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Mankato.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, May 26th, from 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Melby Mortuary in Mankato, where the family will greet friends from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm.
Memorials are requested to the Jewell County Ambulance Service and the Harmony United Methodist Church, and may be sent in care of the funeral home.
Melby Mortuary of Mankato assisted the Diamond family with these arrangements, www.melbymortuary.com