Nancy L. Laier, dedicated wife, beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, friend and “Santa Lady,” passed away at Meadowlark Pointe on April 29, 2026. Nancy’s journey began on Aug. 25, 1937, on her parents’ Ernst and Helen (Jordan) Kraye ranch southwest of Mullen, Nebraska.
With her siblings Fred and Betty, she grew up learning the values of family, hard work and love of animals, especially horses. With over two miles to the closest neighbor and lots of work to be done, she became an outdoor cowgirl. Her early life was dominated with caring for cattle, riding and training horses, killing rattlesnakes, milking cows and getting into general mischief.
She attended country school two miles east of the home with her brother, sister and one other student. After graduation from Mullen High School in 1954, she and her sister attended Nebraska Wesleyan and Chadron State for their two-year teaching certificates.
Her early professional years were spent teaching country schools in Whitman, Nebraska, while summers were spent as a farm and short-order cook. Most of the time was spent with her sister, who many considered her twin.
It was during this time when her father returned to northern Germany to visit friends and family after the great war. While there, he invited many to come to visit the ranch, including Wilfried Meyer (14 at the time), who began to dream about a better life in Nebraska. In 1959, Wilfried came to the ranch as a one year sponsor of Ernst. Little did Nancy realize at the time, her future husband had arrived in the U.S.
As they got closer over English lessons, romance blossomed and soon they were engaged. On Oct. 1, 1960, they married and moved to McCook, Nebraska, where he worked as a baker. Nancy was soon pregnant with her first, Christel Jean. In 1962, they moved to North Platte, Nebraska, where Wilfried took a position with Wilson Motors dealing with all things Volkswagen. Nancy soon became pregnant again with Curt Ernst, who died of crib death at 6 months old. In 1966, they had their third child, Mark Frederich.
Nancy took a full-time position with McDaid Elementary in 1968 and taught 5th/6th grade until 1982. She was loved by students, parents, and coworkers alike. During this time, Wilfried was diagnosed with cancer and battled the disease for nine months before passing away in August of 1976. After Wilfried’s passing, Nancy continued to be an active mother, teacher, and member of the German American Club and Elks BPOE.
In 1980, Nancy was introduced to Duane Laier of Eustis, Nebraska. They married in September of 1982 and Nancy (with her son Mark) relocated from the “city” North Platte to the farm/ranch two miles north of Eustis. With Duane, she was able to relive her childhood, spending her time ranching, riding horses, gardening and socializing with the lively community in Eustis. They had a wonderful life of working, spending time with friends, traveling (Germany, Las Vegas, Illinois, Black Hills, Colorado) and helping raise her grandchildren.
Nancy was known for canning, gardening, making sauerkraut, sewing, crafting, woodworking and collecting Santas. She loved Eustis and became deeply involved with the St. John’s Lutheran Church, American Legion Auxiliary, Wurst Tag Committee, writing for the local newspaper and various card clubs. She became known for her enduring friendships, care for those in need and her faithful service to the community. She received the Aksarben Good Neighbor Award and was recognized as a Wurst Tag Ehrenbürgerin. After the passing of Duane in 2006, she lived alone just north of Eustis until 2023.
After a bout of pneumonia, she became a resident at Meadowlark Pointe in Cozad, Nebraska. There, she thrived in the new environment with participating in fun activities, taking many walks and starting her own pitch club with new friends. By adopting many of the staff as family, and with her daughter Christel close by, she always felt loved and nurtured.
In 2026, at the age of 88, she peacefully moved on to the next chapter after a life very well spent.
Nancy left a vast legacy with two children, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren (and counting). She will be known for her love of friends, her positive outlook, her love of service to others, her love of helping friends and neighbors round up cattle, her willingness for crazy antics in the name of fun, weird Halloween costumes, her 9,000+ Santa collection (as seen on NTV, AP and various articles in the North Platte Telegraph and Nebraskaland magazine), her tall glasses of cherry vodka and coke, her many trail rides and still riding her horse at 82 years, her unique quilting and repairing many people’s work clothing, and her kind personality.
Nancy was preceded in death by her parents (Ernst and Helen Kraye), siblings (Fred Kraye and Betty Kraye), her son Curt, and her husbands (Wilfried Meyer and Duane Laier).
Her survivors include her daughter Christel (Alan) Smith of Eustis, Neb., her son Mark (Erin) of Evanston, Ill. She will be especially missed by her grandchildren Ethan (Lauren) Smith of Ft. Worth, Texas, Morgan (Bailey) Smith of Eustis, Emily Meyer of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Maggie Meyer of Ypsilanti, Mich. Greatgrandchildren include Colette, Violet and August Smith of Ft. Worth and Micah and Hank Smith of Eustis. Others held dear to Nancy include her many nieces and nephews, her step-grandchildren, Janina and Cassidy, her neighbor Gordon, and her many friends.
A memorial service was held May 2, 2026, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Eustis. Online condolences may be shared at berrymanfuneralhome. com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Eustis Volunteer Fire Department, St. John’s Lutheran Church of Eustis, North Platte Catholic School Foundation and Eustis Community Foundation.
Berryman Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements. 3.79x6