Josephine Angeline (Miller) Brickner sadly passed away Monday, March 12, 2024, at the age of 83. She was a wonderful wife and mother who was always there when we needed her. She also had dear friends and was a loved member of the community wherever she lived.
She was born April 4, 1940, in Lexington, to James and Fern Miller. She grew up on the Miller family homestead near Elm Creek. Josephine attended a country school and she graduated from Elm Creek High School in May of 1957. As a girl, she enjoyed 4-H, dancing, family, reading and art. Before college, she trained as a florist in Holdrege and also did work with a photography company. After a year sabbatical, she enrolled in Kearney State College, where she met her husband, John Brickner. They were married at the Catholic Church in Elm Creek on June 27, 1959, and lived in Holdrege for a year before the couple moved to Hastings, where they lived from 1961 to 1976.
John and Jo started their family in Hastings and Grand Island. They raised four children and Josephine did a number of jobs through the years. Josephine was good at stretching a budget and worked as a waitress, at the ordinance plant, as a dental assistant and as a secretary until the family moved to Grand Island in 1976. In Grand Island, she continued to do secretarial work and was in retail until her husband finished his college degree and began teaching. In 1983, she and John moved to Omaha, where she continued to work in the secretarial field until John finished his Administrative Degree.
Her children had graduated by then, and they took it upon themselves to start a Rosary Group for their church. In 1987, they returned to Grand Island, where she worked at the DMV and started a new Rosary Group for their church at St. Leos. In 1999, the couple moved to Ewing, so John could work as the school superintendent. Josephine was able to stop working and enjoy her family and her favorite pastimes. In 2006, when John joined her in retirement, the two of them enjoyed doing things in their new community of Wilber. They were both active members of St. Wenceslaus Church. Josephine joined the Altar Society, the American Legion / VFW, and both John and Josephine were members of the chamber of commerce. Her favorite club was the Garden Club, and she loved the outings with the group.
Josephine is preceded in death by her parents, James and Fern Miller; her brothers, Howard and George Miller; and her oldest son, Neal Brickner. Josephine is survived by her husband, John Brickner; her daughter, Janet Burger, and her sons, Chris and Wesley Brickner. Her surviving siblings include Nancy Critz, Betty Rayl, Larry Miller, Lori Miller and Jennie Miller. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Neal Brickner, Jr., Ryan Brickner, Erica Cervantes, Echo Morehouse, Sky Mankin and Ian Brickner; and her great-grandchildren, Dedric, Jordan, Dominic, Callie, Jade, Zane and baby girl Brickner, who is expected in August.
A funeral mass was March 18 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Wilber. Memorial contributions are suggested to the American Legion Louis-Milan Post 101 in Wilber.
