Kilee was raised on a farm near Harvard, NE. She was baptized at First United Methodist in Harvard, NE, as an infant. She attended Harvard Public Schools from K-12. She loved being able to say she was a Harvard Graduate Class of 2001. Following her high school graduation, she chose Chadron State College for her undergrad studies. She was then accepted into UNMC Doctor of Physical Therapy program, graduating in 2007. During PT school she met the love of her life – Henry “Hank” Oetjen. They were married on July 21, 2007, at Stockham Community Church in Stockham, NE. Kilee accepted a job at Chadron Community Hospital as a physical therapist. Kilee and Hank made their home in Hay Springs, NE, later moving to Lincoln, NE, and then to a country home in rural Walton, NE. Kilee worked at Madonna Rehabilitation hospital and was asked to help develop their Pediatric PT department.
Kilee and Hank became the parents to three beautiful daughters Ruby, Willa, and Lydia. There was nothing Kilee loved more than coaching volleyball for the girls, packing up the car and camper for a fun weekend of softball, or loading up the calves in the trailer for the county fair. After the birth of their third daughter Kilee began her work as a physical therapist for Bryan Healthcare. She was later asked to join the EPIC team to develop and implement the electronic charting system hospital wide. She enjoyed the new challenge and later moved to the building department of the EPIC department at Bryan Health. She took some forced vacations throughout her battle with leukemia. She might have been found in her hospital room or in her home office working on her computer. Kilee enjoyed several trips to Disney World with her family. She loved to do anything with cattle, especially her highlander, Ferdinand. Her two dogs were her companions when she was confined to her home during her battle. Roscoe and Fozzie loved their “Momma”.
Kilee touched so many people in so many positive ways at their church, her work, a ball game, the country fair, or over a glass of tea or Mountain Dew at a table somewhere. Kilee loved helping others. Fall was her favorite season whether it was decorating the front porch or running the harvest equipment in the field to bring in the crops. She also might have been found swinging in her Grandma Ruby’s porch swing on the porch of the home she and Hank built on the farm.
Kilee was taken too soon from many: her husband, Hank Oetjen; daughters Ruby Grace, Willa Marie, Lydia Jo; parents Kif and Sharon Portenier of Farnam, NE; sisters and their families, Abbie (Andy) Albrecht and children Atwood and Ariat of Basset, NE, Jessie (Dylan) Ruppert and children Sterling and Quincie of Curtis, NE, Allie (Andrew) Klintworth and their Baby K who won’t get to know Aunt Kilee’s love of Farnam, NE; mother-in-law Joyce Oetjen of Walton, NE; and sister-in-law and family Becky and Tony Johnson and children Jack and Max of Auburn, NE.
She is preceded in death by her father-in-law Chris Oetjen; grandparents Keith and Lois Portenier, Rachael Portenier, and George and Ruby Sund.
Memorials to Leukemia Foundation or Family’s choice.
Visitation is from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Monday, January 15th at the Roper and Sons South Chapel (3950 Hohensee Dr.)
Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 16th at Trinity Lutheran in Walton, Nebraska. Private family burial.