Marie "Mimi" Elyse Poland was born to Carol and Arlene (Hansen) Poland on Dec. 17, 1947, in Sterling, Colo. She was their third child of four-Stephen, Gayle and Marshall. Mimi died in her West Point, Neb., home on Nov. 21, 2021 at the age of 73.
She was baptized on March 2, 1952, at the First Methodist Church in Sterling, Colo. She attended school in the Council Bluffs area, graduating from Omaha Central in 1966.
Mimi was blessed with two children, Neil, born on Aug. 28, 1970, and Amber, born on June 19, 1975. Family was incredibly important to her. She loved time with her children, grandchildren and visiting with other family over the phone or through the mail. Mimi was also known to send "happy cards" through the mail.
Throughout her life, Mimi worked hard, serving as a cook and bartender at the Omaha Press Club, and a cook at Omaha Legion, The Lodge Bar and Grill in La Platte, and Dave's Place in Superior. She also worked at an Omaha insurance company for a time.
Mimi enjoyed being a cook, always ready to prepare holiday meals for her family. Before retiring, she enjoyed being social, always striking up conversations with customers and colleagues with a big smile on her face.
She also had a love for Elvis, owning many of his movies, memorabilia and ensuring her grandchildren knew about him. Music was an important aspect of her life, listening to all genres. Mimi used to enjoy dancing too, able to do the twist and hully gully, among many other dances.
Later in life she began putting together and collecting puzzles of brightly-colored landscapes of towns and cities. Her family lost count how many times she put together her puzzles, but knew she enjoyed figuring them out.
Survivors include her daughter, Amber; sister, Gayle; aunt, Doy Hansen Slay; nieces, Denise, Patti, and Shelly; many cousins; grandchildren, Ashley Swanson, Sean (Natosha) Swanson, Connor, Isaac and Jessica Poland, and Brooke (Chris), Jason (Valarie) and Josh (Destiny) Davis; great-grandchildren: Aubree, Jayson and Quintyn Swanson, Donald and Sophie Haase, and Teal Davis; son-in-law, Jeramie Davis; and other family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her son, Neil; twin brother, Marshall, and brother, Stephen; parents, Carol and Arlene; and great-grandsons, Chris Jr. Haase and Jaydin Swanson.
There is no visitation as Mimi's wishes were to be cremated. Burial is with her family in the Harlan Cemetery, Harlan, Iowa.
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