Muriel Neve, age 98 of Blair, passed away Sept. 6, 2022. Services are currently pending with Campbell Aman Funeral Home.

#2 Funeral Leaflet

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Muriel E Neve, age 98 of Blair, passed away September 6, 2022. Services will be held Sunday, October 2, 2022 at 1:00 PM at First Lutheran Church in Blair. Memorial contributions can be directed to First Lutheran Church

Muriel Eileen Hayward was born in San Jose, California, on July 10, 1924, and raised in Oakland by her adoptive parents Walter and Elsie.

She attended public schools through graduation from Oakland High School. She attended the College of the Pacific for two years, transferred to the University of California Berkeley for one year, and then returned to the College of the Pacific on a full scholarship. The next fall she matriculated at Drew Theological Seminary in Madison, New Jersey.

By the end of her second year at that Methodist Seminary Muriel had answered the call to join the J3 program, a 3-year contract for missionary service in Japan. General MacArthur had asked young Christian adults to help in the reconstruction of Japan; among missionaries in Japan, it was said that most missionaries were called by God, but the J3s were called by MacArthur.

Because of a West Coast dock workers' strike, Muriel undertook an arduous two-month journey that began with travel by train to New Orleans, followed by a berth on a freighter through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific. She landed in Yokohama, Japan, in November of 1948. She subsequently traveled to the southernmost of the main islands of Japan to teach at a girls' school and moved into a missionary house on the school campus.

By October of 1949, she had met, courted, and married Lutheran missionary Lloyd Neve. After 10 years of raising 6 children and learning Japanese, Muriel moved with Lloyd to Tokyo for his new position at Tokyo Lutheran Theological Seminary.

Muriel continued to raise the family, attend PTA meetings, teach English, and improve her Japanese language skills. She ensured that her children practiced their musical instruments and made it to their lessons. She was also a part-time English Instructor at Tokyo Woman's Christian University, and carried out activities in the local community such as teaching cooking and English classes and selling cosmetics.

After the last of their children had left for Dana College, Muriel moved with Lloyd to start a new congregation in northern Japan, where her Japanese language skills were put to use teaching Sunday school. She also continued to teach English.

After leaving Japan, Muriel and Lloyd carried out a year of service in Papua New Guinea, and another year in the Republic of South Africa before retiring in 1988 to the house that Muriel had insisted that they buy at 2930 College Drive in Blair, Nebraska, across the street from Dana College.

For many years there they spent the spring, summer, and fall tending to their large gardens, and they spent the winter months in Washington, D.C., where Muriel volunteered in women’s shelters, manning the craft/needlework room which provided therapy for the women.

Muriel and Lloyd traveled extensively, including two trips around the world through Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe, a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway, trips to Bulgaria, Spain, and Mongolia, and a 6-month service stay in Brazil.

In retirement, Muriel and Lloyd tracked down Muriel’s biological mother, then deceased, and other members of her family whom they visited regularly in California.

Muriel is survived by her younger sister, Claryce, five of her children - Kaj, Rachael, Leif, Kim, and Peter - five grandchildren - Ian, Lucas, Stacey, Sonja, and Moira - and one great-grandchild, Pamela Lionel.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd Rudolph Neve, and daughter, Nina Jean Neve.

In Loving Memory of Muriel E. Neve

Born July 10, 1924 San Jose, California ~ Entered Into Rest September 6, 2022 Blair, Nebraska

Funeral Services 1pm Sunday, October 2, 2022 First Lutheran Church, Blair, Nebraska. Officiating: Rod Hansen, P.M.A. Organist: Clare Cowing. Vocalist: Duey Heffelfinger. Musical Selections: "Oh, For A Thousand Tongues to Sing", "Old Rugged Cross", "Children of the Heavenly Father", "Praise to the Lord, The Almighty"

Graveside Service, Blair Cemetery, Blair, Nebraska

~~~Obituaries and funeral leaflet courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings and leaflets on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #243341097