Born on January 9, 1922 in Mill Iron, Montana, Nella was one of fifteen children born to Roy Montange & Estell Ward-Van Dewerker. She spent time living in South Dakota, Utah, and eventually Colorado, where she met and married the love of her life, Gerald Allen. Shortly after marriage, they moved to Wyoming and traveled around the states for approximately two years before taking root in Bokeelia, Florida. The itch to move took hold within a few years, and Nella and Gerald set out for Arkansas, to a place called Bee Branch. While there, Nella suffered the loss of her husband and after spending another year in Arkansas, she moved once again to North Platte, Nebraska to be close to her youngest daughter, Ramona.
While in North Platte, Nella joined a mentoring group to assist in helping young girls and spending her time with them. She was looked upon very favorably and was even written about in the local paper for her work with the kids. She also belonged to the "Newcomers" group of women that got together weekly to play all kinds of card games, all of which she dearly loved.
She went to work almost daily with her daughter, Ramona, to assist in any way she could at the store Ramona & her husband, Dale, own. She loved keeping busy and talking to anyone and everyone that came through the door. She had a great sense of humor, loved her neighbors, and was always a warm and friendly face everywhere she went.
Nella was dearly loved by her entire family and maintained a close relationship with all her brothers and sisters, and many of their children over the years.
She leaves behind her children, Meg (Bill) Schlaffer, Dennis (Linda) Melaney, and Ramona (Dale) Heberly; six grandsons, Kevin, Kasey, Derek, David, Kelly, and Sean; eight great-granddaughters, Quinn, Meredith, Natalie, Julia, Christian, Kayla, Lylee, and Kiera; two great-great grandsons, Ari and Ryder; and her siblings Jackie Jacobson and Pete Davis, both in Montana, and Nick Van Deweker in Florida.
There is no way we can express the loss that we all feel today, but we know that she is with the love of her life now. That gives us all a warm glow, and a heart filled with everlasting love for the treasure in our lives that we called MOM, GRANDMA, and GG. How lucky we are to have had her for the time that we did. God Bless You MOM.
Services will be held at a later date. Memorials are requested to the family to be designated at a later date.
Carpenter Memorial Chapel is entrusted with arrangements. Online condolences and sharing of memories may be directed to www.carpentermemorial.com.