Lauretta Mae Dehning, 87, of Columbus, Nebraska, died Friday, August 28, 2026, at Emerald Care Nursing Home in Columbus.

Private family graveside services will be held.  The family will greet friends on Wednesday, September 2 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Gass Haney Funeral Home.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggest to the American Diabetes Association.

Lauretta was born June 12, 1939, in Colfax County, Nebraska, near Leigh, to Frank and Leona (Malena) Smejkal.  She was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Leigh, attended Colfax county grade school and graduated from Leigh High School in May 1957.  Lauretta married her long time beau, Melvin Dehning on June 7, 1959 in Leigh, and were blessed with two children - Brian and Sheryl.  The couple lived in Omaha where Lauretta worked for Mutual Insurance of Omaha from 1957 until they moved to Lincoln in August 1958, where she began working for the University of Nebraska until moving to Columbus in June of 1961.  Lauretta worked for the ASCS office until 1975, Becher Curry Insurance in Columbus until 1978, and then part time with the ASCS office until full retirement in 1981.

Lauretta was a faithful member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, active with the Diabetic Organization and the Columbus Hospital Auxiliary.  Lauretta had been diagnosed with Brittle Diabetes in January 1972.  

Lauretta is survived by:
Husband - Melvin Dehning of Columbus, NE
Son - Brian (Jan) Dehning of Dublin, CA
Daughter - Sheryl (Frank) Long of Strawberry, AZ
Step Granddaughter - Ashley Long
Brother-in-law - Wayne Jungemann of Columbus, NE

Lauretta was preceded in death by:
Parents - Frank and Leona Smejkal
Sister - Nadine Jungemann