1927-2025
Neva June Langgaard (Brady) born on Sept. 8, 1927, to Harmon O. and Georgia Anna (Passmore) Brady.
Neva attended school in Guthrie Center. She enjoyed basketball during her high school days and often told stories of her days of playing. She told of only going to school for half a day when she graduated from high school due to the end of World War II. Neva worked in the grocery store in her younger years. After graduation, she had taken Normal Training in high school and upon testing and passing, she was able to teach school. She earned her teaching certificate and started teaching country school in August of 1945. She had 14 pupils — two kindergarteners, three second-graders, four third-graders, three fifth-graders, one seventh-grader and three eighth-graders. Neva taught for eight years in four different schools: Bear Grove No. 1 for two years, Bear Grove No. 5 for two years, Seeley No. 7 for 1 year, and Seeley No. 8 for three years.
Neva and Erwen went on their first date in February of 1949. The two went on a double date where they went rolling skating. The following June, Neva took a trip to California to visit relatives for four weeks, and Erwen sent her a letter each week anxiously awaiting for her to come home. Their courtship continued upon her return, and the two were married on June 18, 1950, at the First Christian Church in Guthrie Center. Together, they lived in Guthrie Center with Neva’s dad after they were married. In 1951, they moved to the farm where Neva continued to reside. To this union, three children were born, Edward Erwen, Elizabeth Anna, who died at childbirth, and Tommie Eugene. Neva continued to live on the farm, watching the farm equipment, neighborhood traffic and the birds out the kitchen window every day.
Erwen and Neva loved to play cards and were in several card clubs. Neva continued to play cards after Erwen passed. After all the years of having chores with the chickens, goats and cows, Neva and Erwen took to traveling. They traveled to Florida, eating oysters right from the coast. Together, they took many trips to Denmark to visit Erwen’s family, maintaining strong relationships with their family overseas, even celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary in Denmark the Danish way. Neva and Erwen took Tom and Janelle and then Ed and Kim on trips to Denmark, making sure they also knew their Danish family. After Erwen passed, Neva and her travel partner, Mona Sellman, traveled with the Heritage Club, going several places and one last trip to Denmark by herself. Neva always said travel when you can.
Neva belonged to the First Christian Church, Victory Ladies Club and the Eastern Star. She loved watching basketball during March Madness and going to the grandkids’ sporting events. She was a great cook, always cooking for family gatherings as well as those who helped doing anything on the farm, including remodeling projects in the house. Neva was also a gardener and took great pride in her well-producing garden. She loved family gatherings, especially when the grandkids and great grandchildren came to visit. Neva’s kitchen table was always open to many visitors, and all were greeted with fresh rolls each morning. Neva was always sending cards. She was great at saying thanks and wishing you a happy birthday.
Neva was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Erwen; children, Edward and Elizabeth; sisters, Ruth Brady and Francis Wasson; and brothers-in-law, Norman Langgaard and Dwight Wasson.
Left to mourn Neva is her son, Tom (Janelle) Langgaard, and daughter-in-law, Kim Langgaard of Guthrie Center; grandkids, Katy (Jason) Victora of Grimes, Kris (Sarah) Langgaard of Guthrie Center, Neil (Alicia) Langgaard of Missouri Valley, Brady (Jessica) Langgaard of Guthrie Center and Jami (Trevor) Jorgensen of Casey; great grandkids, Landon and Nolan Victora, Nora, Aaron, Ryan and Logan Langgaard, Michael Zane Langgaard, William and Eli Langgaard, and Boone and Blakely Jorgensen. Also left to mourn her is our Denmark family.