Janice (Koetter) O’Grady

Janice (Koetter) O’Grady, age 86, of McCook, NE passed away surrounded by her loving family at home on May 24, 2021.

Janice was born in McCook on October 12, 1934 to W.R. (Smitty) and Leola Maxine Koetter, who died of scarlet fever at age 25. On December 20, 1941, following Leola’s death, Smitty remarried Emma W. (Springer) Koetter in Oberlin, KS.  

Janice graduated from McCook high in 1952. She married Howard Harrison on July 2, 1953 at the Danbury Union church. To this union 3 children were born:  Patricia JoAnn, Richard Wayne, and Robert Lynn. 

Howard worked as an electrician foreman at the UPRR, so the family moved frequently. While the kids were growing up, Janice was a stay-at-home mom until her children were out of school. In 1974, Janice attended LPN school at Vo-Tec community college in North Platte. She graduated with honors and was the outstanding student of the year in 1975. She worked for both hospitals in North Platte and for Dr. Getty. She later moved back to McCook and worked at the Community Hospital and for Dr. Dickinson.

In September of 1980, Janice married Norman O’Grady. Norman was a South Dakota rancher so she moved to South Dakota and enjoyed life on the ranch where she shared in the day to day jobs. Norman and Janice retired in 2002 and moved back to McCook in 2003. While in South Dakota, Jan joined the Catholic Church and was a very active parishioner in their small country church. Her faith was very important to her. Norman was a very loving husband and no words can express how important Norman was in Janice’s life and her kid’s lives. Until the very end he did everything for Mom. When Janice took ill in early 2018, Norman did all the housework, all the cooking, and yard work. One of his main accomplishments was to help her with her dialysis so that she could stay at home, which was not an easy task. He will never know how much his kids appreciated all the loving attention he gave her.

Janice is proceeded in death by  her mother, Leola Maxine; father, W.R. (Smitty) Koetter; stepmother, Emma Koetter; husband, Howard Harrison; son, Richard Harrison; brothers, Raymond, Kenard and Randy Koetter; sister, Joan Schamel and brother-in-law Don Schamel; stepson, Doug O’Grady; and brothers-in-law, William, Jimmy and Michael (Mick) O’Grady.

Janice is survived by her husband of 40 yrs, Norman O’Grady; children, Patricia (Mack) McConahay of North Platte, NE, Robert (Diane) Harrison of McCook and Roger (Ellen) O’Grady of Sturgis, South Dakota; brother, Martin (Smitty) (Diane) Koetter of Downs, Kansas; sister-in-law, Lisa Koetter of Ellinwood, Kansas; grandsons, Tyler (Marie) McConahay of Gretna, Nebraska, Ryan (Emily) McConahay of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Eric Miller of Colorado; granddaughters, Penny (Mike) Adkisson, and Jennifer (Ariel) Quiroga all of North Platte; 12 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial was held  Saturday, May 29, 2021 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, McCook, with Father Brethour as Celebrant. 

Burial followed in Memorial Park Cemetery, McCook, NE.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 409 East F St., McCook, NE 69001.

Carpenter Breland Funeral Home, McCook, has been entrusted with the arrangements.  Please visit their website at www.carpenterbreland.com to sign the online guestbook for the family.