Susan J. (Bass) Trompke

     Susan J. Trompke, 76 of Loup City, NE died Friday, August 5, 2022 at Rose Lane Home in Loup City, NE. Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at the United Methodist Church in Loup City with Reverend Lori Stevens officiating. Burial will follow at the Evergreen Cemetery in Loup City. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Sherman County Historical Society or donor’s choice. The funeral service will be livestreamed on the Higgins Funeral Home Facebook page. The direct link is http://facebook.com/Higgins-Funeral-Home-111005270563508.

     Susan and her twin sister, Diana Jean, were born in Omaha, NE on June 25, 1946 to Elden V. and Evelyn M. (Bussell) Bass.

     The family moved to Loup City when the twins were six months old.

     Susan attended school in Loup City and graduated from Loup City High School in 1964.  While in high school, she and Diana accompanied many musical soloists and groups on the piano.  They took piano lessons for 12 years from Mabel Leschinsky, played piano and organ for church services at the First Presbyterian Church, and performed duets for many community functions and groups over the years.  Susan and Diana were majorettes in high school and led the band in parades and at half-time shows during football games.  One notable event was providing the entertainment for the banquet in St. Paul, NE when Sherman Dam was formally dedicated.  They were among the majorettes who led the high school band across the Sherman Dam during its dedication.

     Their parents owned the Sherman County Times in Loup City from 1953 - 1969 and they grew up in the newspaper business.  They very much enjoyed helping in any way they could at the “print shop” while growing up and in high school.  One of Susan's most notable achievements was learning to run the large newspaper (Miehle) press which enabled her to relieve her father on weekly press runs.  She was the only other person to learn to run the press during the entire time her parents owned the newspaper.

     Susan attended Hastings College's Mary Lanning School of Nursing from 1964 - 1965.

     She received her medical assistant - receptionist degree from the Professional Business Institute, Minneapolis, MN in March, 1966.  She was employed by the Sacred Heart Hospital, Loup City.

     She worked for Judge P. J. Kowalski, Sherman County Judge, Loup City, in 1967 - 1968.

     She married her high school sweetheart Ray Trompke, Jr. on June 8, 1968 at St. Josaphat's Catholic Church in Loup City after he returned in February, 1968 from 18 months duty in Vietnam.  They lived in Ft. Hood, TX until he was discharged from the Army.  They moved to Loup City where their two children, Dale R. and Victoria M., were born.  They later lived in Spalding, NE.  She and the children returned to Loup City in 1973.

     She worked as a teacher's assistant at the Loup City Elementary School from1979 - 1981.

     In later years, she was an Avon representative and walked her sales territory to call on her customers in Loup City.  For many years she enjoyed compiling the “Turning Back the Clock” column for publication in the Times.

     She enjoyed making hand-sewn pieced quilts, embroidery and crewel work, Bible study, and playing the piano.

     She was a life-long member of the First Presbyterian Church, Loup City, and played the piano for services for many years.  She belonged to Oriental Chapter 78, Order of the Eastern Star in Loup City until the chapter closed in 1995.

     She moved to Rose Lane Nursing home in May, 2013.  She played the piano for church services at Rose Lane for a number of years.

     She is survived by her twin sister, Diana J. Keith, Kearney; brother, David V. Bass of Lincoln; son, Dale R. Trompke, Loup City; daughter, Vicki M. Sherman; three grandchildren, K. J. Long, Samantha Long Mullins, and Jacob Long; niece, Melissa McVittie of Sacramento, CA and great-grandchildren.

     She was preceded in death by her father on March 24, 2004 and her mother on August 23, 2016. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Susan J. (Bass) Trompke, please visit our floral store.