Phyllis J. Langan
Phyllis Jean (Kubik) Langan was born on Monday August 5, 1935 at Cambridge Nebraska to Francis Bernard and Irene Mary (Witte) Kubik. She passed away on April 4th 2023 in Kearney Nebraska at the age of 87. She was born in Cambridge rather than at home near Wilsonville, where her parent resided, because the year prior to her birth her mother had delivered a stillborn baby boy, due to eclampsia, and was at high risk of complications. She was baptized on August 6, 1935 at St John’s Catholic Church in Cambridge.
Phyllis attended elementary school at various Furnas County schools.
Those were district number 5, then district number 93 when they moved to a place further north.
When district 93 closed she attended district 99, Hendley Public. In 1947 her parents bought a home in Cambridge and moved the family to town so she completed eighth grade at district 21 Cambridge Public. She graduated from Cambridge High School with the class of 1952. She was too young to attend nursing school at that time so she started her career by working at St.
Catherine’s Hospital in McCook. She roomed in a boarding house run by Governor Morrison’s sister. She was mentored by Sr. Paschala. In 1953 she enrolled at St. Elizabeth’s School of Nursing in Lincoln. She graduated from nursing school on September 6, 1956.
One of her nursing classmates was Noreen Langan. She was introduced to Noreen’s brother Joe. On September 9, 1956 she was united in marriage to Joseph James Langan at St. John’s Catholic Church in Cambridge.
They resided in Lincoln while Joe completed Pharmacy school. In 1957 a daughter Theresa, was born, followed by another daughter, Ann in 1958. She worked at the old St. Elizabeth’s hospital at 10th and South Street on the third floor; women’s health and post-partum.
In September 1959, when Joe graduated, they moved to Fullerton Nebraska where she worked at the hospital which was located in a renovated home on Germand street and Joe was a pharmacist at Russell’s pharmacy. In 1960, 61, and 62, Mary, Steven and John (Jay) were added to the family. In 1966 the family moved to Atkinson Nebraska where they had purchased Wilson Drug Store, a retail pharmacy.
Phyllis worked for Atkinson Memorial Hospital.
She worked full time at night while her children were young. While working full time she managed to be very active in her children’s activities including cub scouts, 4-H, Junior Legion Auxiliary, summer sports and many school activities particularly at St. Joseph School. In 1972 the Franciscan Sisters, who had owned the Atkinson hospital, turned it over to the community and there were several changes in the medical system. This was the year she began working at the Atkinson Good Samaritan Center Nursing Home. She began as director of nursing and in 1978 became the licensed administrator of the facility. Many young nurses started their careers at the nursing home and she had high expectations for their performance. She trained many a young woman to be an excellent nurse.
She retired from the Center at the end of the year 1997 and traveled the state filling in as temporary administrator at other Good Samaritan Society facilities. She spent time in Callaway, Gibbon and Ravenna.
After full retirement in 2000 she continued to serve the medical community in Atkinson by serving on the board of directors of West Holt Hospital. She also greatly enjoyed her time as a volunteer at West Holt Medical Clinic where she could still interact with patients and assist the nurses.
She is survived by her children Theresa, Ann (Charlie) Shapiro, Mary (Charles) Tasler, Steve (Deb), and Jay; 8 grandchildren and 20 greatgrandchildren as well as brothers Morris (Cathy) and Doug (Cindy); a sister Carol Watton; and sisters-in-law Mary Gilroy and Marilyn Kubik as well as many, many nieces and nephews and a maternal aunt.
She was preceded in death by her husband Joe in 2017, her brother Larry, one grandson and a grandson-in-law.
