Lavah A. Poeschl-Petersen-Maciejewski, 87, passed away on April 24, 2010 in Tucson, AZ.   She was born February 26, 1923, to Louis and Edith Poeschl of West Point, NE.  Her family moved to a farm near Lyons, NE, where she graduated from Lyons High School in 1940.  After receiving her teaching certificate from Wayne State College, she taught in rural schools in Burt and Cuming Counties a total of 6 years.

On February 23, 1947 she married Ward Petersen of Tekamah, NE.   They lived on a farm near Tekamah where their first child, Bradley Ward, was born in March of 1948 and passed away in June of 1949.  The couple moved to Lyons where they bought the North Side Café.  Lavah managed the café while Ward worked for Burt County Soil Conservation.  They then moved to Fremont, where Ward worked for Hormel and Lavah worked for Mode O' Day.   Lavah joined her husband, Ward, in selling life insurance for National Investors Life Insurance of Nebraska for 17 years.

She attended Midland College and received her Bachelor's Degree in 1971.  Lavah began teaching in the Fremont School System for a brief time, and after her marriage to Harold Maciejewski in December, 1971, she moved to Wayne, NE.  There she taught 7th and 8th grade remedial Math and  Language Arts in the Wayne School System as well as at St. Mary‘s Catholic School.  She became involved in Project Success and was the co-author of a teacher's manual designed for use in helping to teach teens and adults with learning disabilities.   While teaching in Wayne, she attained her Master's Degree.

Lavah was very active at First Baptist Church of Fremont, where she taught Sunday school for 12 yrs.  She also served on the Board of the Omahaland Association of Baptist Churches.  When she moved to Wayne, she became active in the Wayne Baptist Church.  She was a member of the American Baptist Women for over 25 years and was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Wayne.  Lavah helped plan programs and helped lead the support group for the visually impaired of Norfolk, NE.  She always enjoyed playing cards, board games, traveling, and visiting with her friends and family.

She was preceded in death by her husband Ward;  son, Bradley; parents, Edith and Louis Poeschl; brothers, Dennis and Adrian Poeschl; and a sister, Vernell Poeschl.

Lavah  leaves behind daughters, Rhonda Goers of Davenport, IA and Marla Petersen of  Tucson, AZ; grandchildren, Brent Goers, Jessica Abbott, Bianca Pigounakis, and Nik Pigounakis; five great-grandchildren; a sister, Lavonnie Kinney of Lincoln; brothers, Ivan (Virginia) Poeschl of Bella Vista, AR, Ronnie (Verion) Peschl of West Point;  a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

A MEMORIAL SERVICE will be held celebrating Lavah's life on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church, 1116 K Street, Tekamah, NE.

INTERMENT: Tekamah Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the First Baptist Church, Wayne, NE and the First Baptist Church, Tekamah, NE.

Please feel free to send your condolences to the family.
Each condolence will be printed and given to the family after the service.

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