Linnaea Charmaine (Trapp) Budke, 82, of McCook, passed away Jan. 6, 2014, at her home.
She was born on Dec. 2, 1931, in Beverly, Kan., to Charles and Fairie (Neel) Trapp. Linnaea grew up in Salina, Kan. She graduated from Sacred Heart High School and Brown Mackie Business College.
She married James W. Budke at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Salina, Kan., on Sept. 14, 1950. They lived in Salina and Ellsworth, Kan., St. Helena, Calif., and McCook, where Jim and Linnaea owned and operated Budke Motors in McCook and North Platte. To their union was born eight children, Shauna, Tongay, Stephan, Kevin, Taryn, Dion, Charlynn and Kif.
Linnaea was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church of McCook.
When one of her grandsons was deployed to Iraq in 2002, she started what became an eight-year support of care packages to many soldiers. She has many scrapbooks of thank you letters and notes from soldiers who received more than 1,000 boxes of more than 10,000 pounds of supplies she personally packed. She was awarded a U.S. Flag, Certificate of Appreciation from the U.S. Army Reserve 308th Transportation Company of Lincoln. She also received the U.S. Army Above and Beyond Award given to a civilian for her generous commitment of time, support and inspiration to troops during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Linnaea was also named an Admiral of the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska by Gov. Mike Johanns for her support of the American soldier.
Besides her passion for the American soldier, she delighted in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She very much enjoyed flowers, country music, especially George Strait and Ray Price, and her precious dog, Pepper.
Linnaea was preceded in death by her husband, James; parents, Charles and Fairie; sisters, Fairie Lea Koffman and Charlene Hutchison; daughter-in-law, Sharon Budke; and grandchildren, Trent Hoyt and Kendra Budke.
Survivors include her children, Shauna Stanton, of Kearney, Tongay (Gale) Epp, of Columbus, Stephan (Irma) Budke, of North Platte, Kevin Budke, of North Platte, Taryn (Gregory) Witt, of Thornton, Colo., Dion (Vivian) Budke, of Panama City Beach, Fla., Charlynn (Lynn) Hamilton, of Hayes Center; Kif (James) Huffman, of McCook; her beloved niece, Thauna (Stephen) Wood, of Minden; sister, Julia (Don) Waggoner, of McPherson, Kan.; brothers, Louis Trapp, of Larned, Kan., and Charles (June) Trapp, of Derby, Kan.; brothers-in-law, John (Barbara) Hutchinson, of Great Bend, Kan., and Edward (Betty) Budke, of McCook; 23 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews; and extended family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the McCook Humane Society, 100 South St., McCook, NE 69001, Community Hospital Home Health and Hospice, 407 W. Fifth, McCook, NE 69001, or High Tech Wheel Chair for a wounded soldier The Independence Fund, 32379 Collection Center Drive, Chicago, IL 60693-0323. Online condolences may be shared at carpenterbreland.com.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in McCook with celebrant Father Gary Brethour. Burial will follow at the Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1-8 p.m., today, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, Jan. 10, at Carpenter Breland Funeral Home in McCook. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 10, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in McCook.
Carpenter Breland Funeral Home of McCook is in charge of the arrangements.