Waneita May Anderson Orbin Schomer was born in Maxwell, Nebraska, on April 19, 1923, to Vearnie Clarence and Lily May Kelley Anderson.  She graduated from the Maxwell Public School in 1941.  She started working at the Union Pacific Railroad in 1951 and retired in 1983.

Waneita held various offices in the First Baptist Church and was a Past President of the Union Pacific Old Timers Club No. 8. She was active in BRAC, the American Legion Auxiliary, Does 109 and Kiwanis Club. She was named the Woman of the Year Volunteer in Lincoln County in 2019. During WWII, she was a member of the USAF Air Defense Command, watching the sky for enemy aircraft.

Waneita loved church, charity, and helping others.  She worked in the Canteen as a young lady, and was honored to share the story of those World War II volunteers with author Bob Greene, local groups and television stations.  She received many honors for thousands of hours of volunteer work. She helped with the Lincoln County Historical Museum and was a big supporter of the Maxwell Schools.

Waneita's proudest achievement was the three men she considered her sons. In 1960, her beloved sister Adeline passed away, and she took in Adeline's three sons.

She leaves to mourn those three sons she raised: James (Karen) Ridgway of Box Elder, South Dakota, Leo Ridgway of Elk Point, South Dakota; and Danny Joe (Irene) Ridgway of North Platte.

She will also be sorely missed by grandchildren Sabrina (Mark) Chastain, Rob (Patty) Gustafson, Christina (Kendall) Verhage, Carrie (Jeff) Casavant, Scott (Tricia) Ridgway, Melinda (Gerrit) Tichelaar, Nancy (Chris) Avery, Linda Ridgway and Amanda (Ronnie) Mickle. She also leaves behind great grandchildren, Mackenzie, Ethan, Rowan, Jasper, Michael, Brian, Autumn, Amelia, Marisa, AJ, Hilary, Courtney, Nathan, Alyssa, Sara, Hope, Linda, McKenna, Jocelyn, Lee, Nick Jr, Dustin, Miranda Alexa, Dominic, Dailen and Devan; and great-great grandchildren, Harper, Jared, Lucy, Rose, Mia, Ameliana,  Caiden, Olivia and Clark; plus numerous nieces and nephews. She will also be missed by her special friend, Norval Holtmeier, who brought her and her family great happiness and wit in the last years of her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Robert and John; sisters Alice Norris and Adeline Ridgway; husbands, George Orbin and Willis Schomer; special nieces, May Alice Norris Riggs and Sadie Norris Tolle; grandsons, Eric Ridgway, Michael Ridgway and Joseph Avery; and daughter-in-law, Eda Ridgway.

In lieu of flowers, she would like donations to the Maxwell Public School Scholarship Foundation, c/o Maxwell School, 415 US-30, Maxwell, NE 69151.

Graveside services will be at 9:30 a.m. on Friday January 22, 2021 at Fort McPherson National Cemetery with Pastor Clint Walker from the First Baptist Church officiating.

Carpenter Memorial Chapel is entrusted with arrangements. Services will be held following all current health directives regarding Covid-19 and masks are required. The service will be livestreamed via Carpenter Memorial Chapels Facebook page. Online condolences and sharing of memories may be directed to www.carpentermemorial.com.