Sig Wimberly

Sigrid Haugland Wimberly, or best known as ‘Aunt Sig’, died at Linden Court on Thursday, June 4, 2020, at the age of 97.

Sigrid was born October 1, 1922, the fourth of five children to Jack and Olivia Haugland on the family farm south of Hershey where she grew up. When she was four years old her mother died then her father married Bessie Overmier and she raised the Haugland children along with her two girls.

Sig attended country school then graduated from Hershey High School in 1939. She went on to beauty school in Grand Island, graduating in 1940. After she passed the Nebraska Cosmetology State Board, Sig went to work as a beautician in North Platte. In June of '42, she moved to California where she lived for over 60 years. She worked for the Bendix Corporation, starting as a factory worker then Production Control Planner, eventually retiring in 1974.

On August 24, 1943, Sigrid married Bill Harrison Shehan, Jr. in Hollywood where they lived for a few years before moving to Sun Valley. After Bill passed away in '73, Sig moved to Santa Rosa and was united in marriage to Jay Wimberly on April 15, 1974. They continued living in Santa Rosa before moving to Escondido. Jay passed away in 1996 then Sig returned to Nebraska in 2003 to be closer to her family.

While in California, Sigrid volunteered at hospitals and enjoyed sewing, gardening, doing craft projects, baking and watching after the neighbor's children. After she moved to North Platte, Sig continued working on her craft projects, which included making beaded necklaces and kitchen scrubbies that she gave away, as well as sewing for friends and family.

Sig especially enjoyed sending her gingersnap cookies to her great-nephew, Jimmy Moorhead, while he was stationed in Afghanistan. Aunt Sig and her World Wide Ginger Snap Cookies soon became famous and were featured on an episode of NET Television's The Recipe Box . She didn’t win the recipe contest but was a finalist.

Sig was a kind, gentle woman who loved sharing, visiting with others, and telling stories of her younger days.

She is survived by her many nieces and nephews including Billy (Jackie) Moorhead, Jack (Peggy) Moorhead and Andy (Marcia) Olson, all of Hershey, John VanPelt, of Paxton, Donna (Bill) Arnett, Rick (Dodie) Odean, and Gary (Carolyn) Rickett, all of North Platte, Jack (Pam) Rickett, of Sutherland, Olinda Boslau, of Lincoln, and Georgena (Alan) Arnett, of Loveland, CO; as well as numerous great-nieces, nephews and other family.

Along with her husbands, Bill Shehan, Jr. and Jay Wimberly, Sig was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Olivia Haugland; stepmother, Bessie Overmier Haugland Geiken Jackson; brother, Theodore Haugland; five sisters, Agnes VanPelt, Olga Moorhead, Berdeen Olson, Nellie Rickett and Alice Odean; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, 2020, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore with Pastor Mark Baldwin officiating. Burial will be in the North Platte Cemetery. Visitation will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be shared at odeanchapel.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials are to the San Diego Zoo or Paws-itive Partners.