Gretchen M. Mangold

Mary Gretchen (Meyer) Mangold was born May 12, 1908 in Snyder, Nebraska to Herman and Emily (McClean) Meyer. Gretchen graduated from University Place (Lincoln) Jackson High School in 1925. She went on to graduate from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln in 1929 with majors in English and Drama. She was a member of the Delta Zeta Sorority, and Pi Epsilon Delta, Alpha Phi Tau, and Pi Lambda Theta Honoraries. During this time, Gretchen modeled for Ben Simons and Miller & Paine of Lincoln, and Herzbergs of Omaha, modeling for them during the 1927 Omaha Automobile Show. Also while in college, Gretchen met Leonard Mangold, and on June 28, 1930 Gretchen and Leonard were married, and to this union, three children were born; Marilyn, Sharon, and Stephen. Gretchen and Leonard’s house in Bennington was built in 1930, and Gretchen lived there until recently moving to Heritage Pointe Assisted Living in Omaha. Gretchen was an English teacher at McMillan Junior High School for 17 years. In addition to her teaching, Gretchen was very supportive of St. John’s Lutheran Church and the Bennington community. She served on the Woman’s Club and Bennington Library boards and logged numerous hours giving book reviews in the greater Omaha area. Her passion to share the joy of reading spoke to the lives of countless people. The Bennington Woman’s Club gave her a hot air balloon ride on the occasion of her 86th birthday. Gretchen was honored by the community as Grand Marshall for the Bennington Daze parade and was made an Admiral in the Nebraska Navy. She is a 50 year member of PEO. Gretchen was very thankful for her small town heritage and the simple things life offered, but she was most thankful for her many friends and her loving family. Gretchen will be remembered by those family and friends as an amazing and passionate woman with a heart that touched everyone she met. Gretchen passed away on Friday, July 25, 2008 at Heritage Pointe Assisted Living community at the age of 100 years, 2 months, and 13 days. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard, daughter, Marilyn Mangold, and brother Allen Meyer. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Sharon and Jack Rogers of Pasadena, California, and son and daughter-in-law Stephen and Maggie Mangold of Tustin, California, 9 grandchildren; Stephen and Mindy Sass, J.B. and Kristina Mangold, Joe and Vicki Mangold, Matthew and Yvonne Rogers, John Mark Rogers, Toby Rogers, Stephen Mangold, Sarah Mangold(Paul Kimball), and Rachel Mangold (Chad Horn), and Great Grandchildren; Camilla McGrory, Amanda McMahon, Ashley Mangold, Alexis Mangold, Joel Mangold, Christopher Rogers, Maria Rogers, and Joshua Rogers, and Great Great Granddaughters Aubrey and Meredith McMahon.