Leona Marlene McKim, 92, of Falls City, NE, passed away July 23, 2026 at Falls City. She was born December 1, 1933 at Wamego, KS to Elias M and Marguerite (Homewood) Bachman. She married Raymond S McKim, Jr October 7, 1950 in Falls City. He passed away November 25, 1970.
Marlene was raised on the family farm south of Rulo. At the age of four she started first grade at District 91 better known as the “Y” school. She was proud of the fact that she recited the poem word for word “The Night Before Christmas” at the school Christmas program even before she started school. Marlene graduated Falls City High School in 1950.
One of thirteen children she helped her two older sisters hand milk the cows before and after school each day. She was strong willed even as a child and found herself at the top of a tree where she could get away from her mother when she was in trouble and her mom would remind her she had to come down sometime. Mom had many stories she shared of her younger years.
Marlene worked at various businesses over the years including Fleskoski’s Food Basket, The Falls City Creamery, as a bookkeeper at Sur Gro Fertilizer, Falls City Pet Foods, Fortescue Elevator, and Novak Realty.
She was a member of Riverside Fellowship church in Rulo and through the years had taught Sunday school and church youth groups. She was a Blue Bird – Campfire girl’s leader, served on the school PTA committees, was a softball coach for teenage girls, and was active in the American Legion and VFW auxiliaries, American Heart Association, Red Cross Blood Mobile and the Census. For several years she was the crew foreman for the girls detasseling corn crews bussed over into Missouri. Marlene was a lifetime member of the Falls City BPO DOES organization serving for seventy years in various offices locally as well as the Nebraska District and the Iowa Minnesota Nebraska East District. But of all her “jobs” her most important and dear to her heart was being mom and grandmother.
She is survived by her children Linda (Mark) Jilek of rural Rulo, Cathy O’Grady, Jerry (Nancy) McKim, and Karey Weaver all of Falls City and Nancy (John) Fischer of Hiawatha, twenty-four grandchildren, fifty-one great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild, siblings Louise Pfankuche, Kansas City, Mo, Marjorie Surman, Rulo, Ruth Leineman, Robinson, Ben (Sandy) Bachman, Falls City, Wauneta (Jim) Catlett, Kansas City, MO, Bob Bachman, Rulo, Gary (Cindy) Bachman, Falls City and Rita (Steve) Johansen, Rulo, numerous nieces and nephews survive her. She was preceded in death by sisters Bernice Adams and Alice Crouch, brother Ronald Bachman, grandson, Aaron O’Grady, sons-in-law, Neal Frost and John O’Grady.
Her funeral services will be held on Monday, August 3, 2026 at 2:00 PM at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home with Pastor David Showalter officiating. Interment will be in Rulo Cemetery.
The family will receive friends, Sunday, August 2, 2026 from 6-7:00 PM at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home.
Viewing will begin in the afternoon of August 1, 2026 at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home.
The family requests memorials be made to Family Choice in lieu of flowers.
