Vickie Lee Petz

Vickie Petz passed away on February 10, 2023. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, mother-in-law and friend. She will be remembered for her life of grace, charity, and always thinking of others before herself. Vickie was born on September 1, 1947 to Victor and Betty Thomsen. She was raised in Omaha, Nebraska with her brothers and sisters Sharon, Jerry, Kathryn and Frank. After graduating from South High School in 1965, she started working at Northwestern Bell as a punch key operator. One of her co-workers, Dieter Petz, caught her eye and they began dating. There were no cell phones and texting during their courtship, so they would set up meetings by the drinking fountain during their breaks so they could see each other. They committed their love to one another on August 31, 1968. They raised 2 children, Kaylene and Eric in Elkhorn, Nebraska. Vickie unconditionally and unselfishly loved her children and supported them throughout her life. She never missed a gymnastics meet, dance recital, band concert or school play. Passionate about arts and crafts, she hosted an annual boutique for almost 30 years that began in her basement. It grew to become a family affair with relatives from all over the country helping her year after year. Wanting to grow her business, she opened a store in Papillon called Your Country Connections which she later remodeled and re-opened as Mariposa. Vickie was also part of a women’s golf league, an active member of Bethany Lutheran Church, and a die hard Husker fan. Vickie’s grandchildren Maile and Kai were her heart and joy. There is no denying her love overflowed being a part of their lives. Her love knew no bounds and her family was always her sole focus. She took care of them until the end, sometimes at the exclusion of her own needs. She worried about them, rooted for them, protected them, forgave them, and always kept on loving them. Traveling around the world meant creating beautiful, life long memories for Vickie. Whether it was meeting Dieter’s German family for the first time, golfing across Scotland, cruising the Caribbean, shopping in Palm Springs, snorkeling in Hawaii or camping with her family, Vickie loved the experiences and the connections it built. Anyone who knew Vickie loved her wonderful sense of humor. She was always smiling and her laugh was contagious. The dumber the jokes, the harder she would laugh. Her outlook on life was always optimistic, positive and bright. The family would like her celebration of life to reflect her spirit, energy and vibrancy. She will be deeply missed. Vickie is survived by her husband Dieter Petz, daughter Kaylene (Christian) Brewer; son, Eric Petz; grandchildren Maile and Kai Petz; sisters, Sharon (Carl) Filter, Kathryn (Steve Young) Cardillo: brothers, Jerry (Linda) Thomsen and Frank Thomsen. . Services are being held for Vickie at 3:00 pm, Saturday, February 18th 2023 at Bethany Lutheran Church, 4200 N 204th St., Elkhorn, NE 68022. Celebration of Life to follow at 4:30pm, Shadow Ridge Country Club, 1501 S. 188th Plaza, Omaha, NE 68130. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations can be made to the American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/ Or Project Harmony, a charity working to end child abuse and neglect. https://projectharmony.com/donate/

Vickie Lee Petz

September 1, 1947 - February 10, 2023