Faye Ellen Kuenning

Faye Ellen was born February 28th, 1923 on a farm near Howe, Nebraska to Charles & Clara (Corners) Strole. She had an older brother Vernon.

After attending a rural school, Rosefield, through the 8th grade, she went to High School in Auburn, Nebraska. It was there as a Freshman that she met her future husband, Don Kuenning. He sat directly behind her in Civics class and would pull her pigtails to get her attention! After graduating from Auburn High School in 1940, she attended Midland College for one year, before teaching grades K-8 in various one room, rural school houses in Nemaha County.

As WWII was escalating, Don enlisted in the Army Air Force. During his pilot’s training in Coffeeville, Kansas, he was granted a 24 hour leave to travel to Auburn, get married, and be back on base! So on February 5th, 1944, Faye Ellen married the love of her life. They lived in several different parts of the United States while Don was in the service. For fourteen months he was stationed overseas in the Pacific Theater. During that time, their only communication was through letters that the Army Air Force would censor. Though any information about Don’s location was cut out, he eventually managed to reveal it to Faye Ellen by including the same sentence in every letter he wrote: “I’m in a town that is more like a village”. After many letters with that exact sentence, she figured out that he was in Townsville, Australia!

After WWII, they moved to a small farm south of Auburn where they lived for 43 years. Faye Ellen went back to school and received her Bachelor's degree from Peru State College. She taught 8 more years in rural schools, then Kindergarten & 4th grade for 14 years at Southeast Nebraska Consolidated School in Stella. During this time, they raised two children, Darrell Wayne and Mary Ellen.

Faye Ellen loved many hobbies including gardening, scrapbooking, ceramic and china painting, crocheting, cooking, and stitching beautiful handwork. She loved playing cards, traveling, going to china club meetings, PEO Club meetings, and getting together with family and friends whenever possible. She was always creating something amazing and blessing everyone around her!

After both Faye Ellen and Don retired, they moved to Nebraska City, where they enjoyed living for 25 years. In May 2018 they moved to Heritage Pointe in Omaha where they could live closer to Mary Ellen and her family.

On Thursday morning, April 29th, 2021, Faye Ellen suffered a severe stroke. She was able to be at home with family until she passed away Monday evening, May 3rd, 2021…holding Don’s hand. Faye Ellen had been blessed with 98 years, 2 months, and 5 days. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles & Clara (Corners) Strole, brother Vernon, and son Darrell.

Faye Ellen is survived by her husband of 77 years, Donald W. Kuenning; daughter Mary Ellen (Dan) Warnock; daughter-in-law Rita Kuenning; grandchildren Sean Kuenning, Shane (Tanya) Kuenning, Adam (Sarah) Kuenning, Nathan (Andrea) Warnock, Steven (Amy) Warnock, Jordan (Laura) Warnock, Drew (Kate) Warnock, and Christy Warnock; greatgrandchildren Blake Kuenning, Amelia Kuenning, Jaxon Warnock, Rhyan Warnock, Ryker Warnock, Lincoln Warnock, and Adalyn Warnock.



Funeral Service Tuesday, 11:00 am at the Pacific Street Chapel with interment at 2 pm at Omaha National Cemetery. Visitation with the family one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or Calvary Community Church in Nebraska City.