Arlene Joan Marie Sutherland

Arlene Joan Marie Bradtke aka, Arlene Nye, Arlene Sutherland passed away Thursday, August 25, 2022, at Azria Montclair in Omaha, NE. A Rosary will be prayed at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Harvard, NE. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 a.m., at the church with Father Denton Morris officiating. Interment will follow at the Clay Center Cemetery in Clay Center, NE. Visitation will be one hour prior to the Rosary at the Church. Memorial contributions may be directed to the family to be designated later. Arlene J. Bradtke was born March 12, 1934, in Chicago, Illinois to Joseph and Agnes Bradtke. She had an older brother named Donald and a younger sister named Audrey. The family was devoutly Catholic and all 3 children attended Catholic schools until graduation while living in Chicago. As a teenager, Arlene began spending her summers at the home of her aunt and uncle, Estelle (Stella) and Bill Miller in Clay Center, Nebraska. Over time, she made many friends there and after graduating returned there to live, taking a job at the Navy Depot in the production of armaments and bombs at the huge facility just outside of Hastings, Nebraska. During this time she entered into a relationship with George Nye of Clay Center and they were married on July 15th, 1953. George enlisted into the Air Force and this took them to San Antonio, Texas where their first 3 children were born, Michael, David, and Sandra. George was transferred to an AF base on a remote island known as the Azores in late 1957, whereupon Arlene and the 3 children moved back to an apartment in Clay Center while waiting 6 months to be able to join with George to live with him there until December of 1959. They would come to spend 10 more years in San Antonio where 2 more children were born, William and Terrance, then in December of 1969, transfer to Offutt AFB in Omaha, Nebraska. Arlene and George would become divorced in 1973 and Arlene would go on to marry again in 1976 to David A. Sutherland. Arlene and David would remain married until 1997. Arlene's job with AT&T took her from Omaha to Denver, Colorado and then to Reno, Nevada where she would eventually retire in 2001. While in Reno, Arlene became a big fan of the casinos and would spend much of her time there. In 2002 she returned to Omaha to live out her remaining years among her family where she also began a friendship with her former husband George until his death in 2004. She will be laid to rest with him in Clay Center. Arlene was a very intelligent and fiercely independent, outgoing woman who made friends wherever she went. She was an avid reader and was always up to going out to eat or to the casino. She also enjoyed fishing. She remained a devout Catholic throughout her life and will be given her last mass at the Catholic Church in Harvard, Nebraska. Admired for her tenacity and wit, her generosity and spirit, Arlene will be missed by all that knew her. Arlene was preceded in death by her mother and father (Agnes and Joseph), her brother and sister, (Donald and Audrey) her youngest son Terry and her grandson Justin. She is survived by her children, Michael and Rebekah, David and Carol, Sandy and Joe, Billy. And daughter-in-law Julie. Her grandchildren, Tobey, Michelle, Alyssa, Joshua, Ambra, and step-granddaughter Mercedez. She also had several great-grandchildren as well as nieces and nephews.

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Arlene Joan Marie Sutherland

March 12, 1934 - August 25, 2022