Jan 16, 1925 - Mar 7, 2015

Preceded in death by husband, William P.; son, Carl P. Nedley. Survived by children and spouses, Peg and Steven Cassel, Mary and Craig Losee, Bob and Linda Nedley, Pat Nedley, Mike and Amy Nedley; daughter-in-law, Jody Nedley (Brian) Newcomb; grandchildren, Josh Boller, Terri Cassel, Robin Lauder, Megan Losee, Nate Nedley, Steph Cassel, Adrienne Losee, Katie Nedley, Leah Nedley, James Nedley, Will Nedley, Elizabeth Nedley, Jon Newcomb; 9 great grandchildren; brother, Gordon (Andrea) McDonald; several nieces and nephews.

SERVICES Thursday 10:30am at St. Bernard Catholic Church. Interment Calvary Cemetery.

VISITATION Wednesday starting at 5pm with Wake Service at 7pm all at John A. Gentleman 72nd St. Chapel. Memorials to St. Bernard Memorial Fund.

JOHN A. GENTLEMAN MORTUARIES 72nd STREET CHAPEL 1010 North 72nd St. 402-391-1664 www.johnagentleman.com

Omaha teacher Virginia Nedley, 90, had flair for languages

By Betsie Freeman / World-Herald staff writer

Posted: Friday, March 13, 2015

Languages came easily to Omahan Virginia Nedley.  She taught English, Spanish, French and Latin during a long teaching career. She even taught Japanese after learning it via television along with her high school students.  Because of her expertise, she had the chance to be a translator for the federal government during World War II, but the war ended before she got her assignment, daughter Mary Losee of Omaha said.  “She just had a knack for picking up languages,” Losee said.

Friends and family remembered that trait this week when they celebrated Nedley’s 90-year life.  She died Saturday after falling earlier in the week near her apartment at New Cassel Retirement Center.

Nedley was born in Howell, Michigan. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English and languages from Michigan State University in Lansing.

She met her husband, Omaha native William Nedley, when he was stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Center near Chicago.  They married in 1946, and he brought her home to Omaha. He died in 1996, just shy of their 50th anniversary.

Nedley started her teaching career at Omaha Central High School and also taught at St. Bernard Elementary, Creighton Prep, Marian High School, North High School and the now-closed Duchesne College.

She stayed the longest at North, joining the faculty in 1968 and staying until she retired in the mid-1990s. As a Latin teacher there, she organized elaborate Roman dinners for students in the Junior Classical League, complete with decorations and costumes.

“She loved doing the Latin banquets,” her daughter said.  The classroom was her passion, but she also enjoyed reading, gardening and wildlife.  “She fed the birds and the squirrels day in and day out, 365 days a year,” Losee said.

Other survivors include sons Bob of Omaha and Mike of Perrysburg, Ohio; daughters Peg Cassel and Pat Nedley, both of Omaha; a brother, Gordon McDonald; 13 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.