Former State Senator Passes Away

Former state Sen. Bernice Labedz, who represented Omaha for 16 years in the Legislature, has died. Her family says she died on Saturday at the age of 89. Labedz was appointed to the Legislature in 1976 to fill the seat vacated by Eugene Mahoney, who resigned to become director of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Labedz left the Legislature in 1992, and was then elected to the Douglas County Board. She stepped down in 1997 due to health reasons. Visitation will be held Tuesday at Heafey-Heafey Hoffman Dworak Cutler Mortuary in Omaha. Funeral services will be Wednesday at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Omaha.