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| Kindergarten picture |
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| Graduation picture |
Gorder,
Jane (information from the 50th reunion)
Spouse
~ Bernie Tushaus
1246 N Saunders Avenue
Hastings, NE
68901
402-462-4752
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| 50th reunion current picture |
C
~ Robyn,
Laurie, Mike, Michelle
G ~ (Robyn) Ryan, Nathan, Landon, Austin
(Laurie) Jessica; (Michelle) Abby
It’s been quite a journey to think back over these
past 50 years. On April 1st
we celebrated our 35th anniversary in bookselling. I guess that speaks volumes (so to speak) of
what much of these past years has been about.
Being independent booksellers has certainly been an interesting time
with all the continuous changes in the book industry. I’m glad we were able to be a part of it
during the peak years. Attending the
national book conventions, listening to so many different authors, and learning
so much from all of our customers over the years has been a tremendous learning
experience. Every day has truly been a
new beginning. So after graduating from
college with a teaching degree in English, I put my main passion and love of
books to busy use.
During all of these years we have spent time with
our kids and grandkids as much as possible, but some of them are farther
away. My oldest daughter Robyn has
obviously been busy with four boys and all their sports activities. She has been a personal chef to various
families in the Lincoln area so we all have enjoyed gathering there for the
holidays and enjoying her culinary talents.
Laurie is still in Moab, Utah, where she has been involved with
photography and vacation trips in the Canyonlands and Arches Park area...an
avid outdoors person. Her son Brandon
and daughter Jessica now both live in Salt Lake City. Mike, our theatre, music, movie-involved son,
fairly recently moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. We have taken many excursions with friends to
see his productions wherever he was living.
He is currently working with the Cirque du Soleil production of
“Ka”. His wife Karen is a costume
designer and is working on the “Elvis” Cirque show, also in Vegas. Mike’s creative activities keep us all entertained. Shelly, daughter number three, lives in Omaha
and works for a law firm that deals with wards of the court. Her daughter Abby will be five in August. We’re so proud of all of them. While also working at the bookstore, Bernie
has been teaching communication and theatre at Hastings College for the past
twenty years, so life is full.
In addition to my passion for books, I have added
several others over the years. I enjoy
sewing, quilting, beading, cooking, and musical interests. My unexpected heart surgery in December was
quite a wake-up call so I’m trying to slow down and smell the roses. I’m so looking forward to sharing some time
with all of you at the reunion. It makes
it even more meaningful for me.
Lois "Jane" Tushaus Obituary
Hastings resident, Lois “Jane” Tushaus, 81, passed away Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Methodist Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska.
Memorial Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 10, at Butler Volland Chapel in Hastings with Reverend Damen Jensen-Heitmann officiating. There will also be an informal Celebration of Life luncheon gathering that afternoon at a location yet to be announced. Memorials may be given to the family for a memorial to be established at a later date. There will be no viewing or visitation. The service will be live-streamed on Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home’s website. To view the service, go to Jane’s obituary and click the play button shown toward the bottom of the page.
Jane was born November 17, 1943, in Alliance, NE. Her parents were Harlan & Lois (Van Kirk) Gorder. She graduated from Hastings College (’71) with a bachelor's degree in English. Jane married Bernard “Bernie” Tushaus on March 30, 1974. Jane was a member of First Presbyterian Church. She was a thoughtful and loving mother and wife, a wonderful grandmother and great grandmother, a passionate independent bookseller and a quiet benefactor to several charitable causes.
Jane, along with her husband, Bernie, owned and operated their bookstores for over 43 years in Hastings, most notably “Prairie Books & Gifts” at the Imperial Mall and later in downtown Hastings. Her passion for books led to the constant care and growth of their successive bookstores and led her and her family on many journeys to several national booksellers’ conventions meeting the popular authors and publishers of the day and going on literary road trips to hidden gems like Harney Peak, SD and wagon-rutted roads throughout the sandhills of western Nebraska.
She also created her own line of greeting cards, “Heartland Reflections” and “Patches & Peepers” that featured art from notable Nebraska artists and quotations from regional authors and sages.
Jane believed in the phrase, “Life is a Book,” embracing the idea that every period in our life is a new chapter, every person is an important character, and every life’s story is a unique and incredible novel on the shelves of our human history. Jane’s life was a well-read book, and despite its tattered cover, was a story like none other— a story of love, adventure, joy, heartache, successes, challenges, happiness, sadness and all the twists and turns of a great work of literature. Her story ended peacefully, surrounded by family, and will be retold and lived on by her children and their families and everyone she touched in a positive way.
Jane was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Bernie.
SURVIVORS:
Children & Spouses:
Robyn (Lamberson) & Jeremy Quist
Laurie (Lamberson) & Brian Evans
Michael Tushaus & Getti Kehayova
Michelle (Tushaus) & Brian Mutum
Grandchildren & Spouses:
Ryan & Holly Verkamp
Nate & Sheri Verkamp
Landon & Nikki Verkamp
Austin Verkamp
Brandon & Sarah O'Keeffe
Jessyca O’Keeffe
Maximus Kehayov
Zander Garcia
Abby Mutum
Great-Grandchildren:
Oakley O'Keeffe
Emma O’Keeffe
Beckham Verkamp
Brooklyn Verkamp
Braxton Verkamp
Kason Verkamp
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