Leah Jane Bain, 96

A memorial service for Leah Jane Bain, 96, of Caldwell, ID was held in the Nampa Funeral Home Vraguen Chapel at Nampa, ID, on Saturday, July 8. 2023. A graveside service was held on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at the West Lawn Cemetery in Gering, NE.

Leah Jane was born August 2, 1926, at Ainsworth, NE. She passed away peacefully July 3, 2023, in Caldwell at the Prestige Assisted Living at Autumn Wind facility.

She was the first-born child of Clarence Andrew Pancake and Clarisa Jane (Woods) Pancake. She had two brothers, Simon John and Clarence Ray Pancake and one sister, Wilma Jean Lanz. She was preceded in death by both parents and all three siblings.

Leah Jane went through grade school and high school in Ainsworth where she graduated in 1944. She worked in the local Montgomery Hardware Store for Francis Montgomery during her later high school years and after she graduated. This is where she met Harold Bain, her future husband. After he returned from serving in Germany during WW II, they were married on September 17, 1947, at the United Methodist Church in Ainsworth.

Together they ranched in southern Brown County Nebraska along the Calamus River for years. During their ranching years two children were born to this union, one daughter, Marjorie Lynn (Bain) Chaney, and one son, Thomas Clarence Bain.

In 1964 they left the ranch and moved to Long Pine, then Ainsworth. It was at this time she began working outside the home in mostly clerical and office assistant positions. In 1968 they moved to Gering where they remained until Harold’s death in 1985. After Harold died, she went to live with her daughter and family in Moreno Valley, CA, where she was a dedicated church secretary for years. In 2017 she moved into assisted living facilities, first in Ainsworth and then in Caldwell.

She was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church. Survivors include both children, daughter, Marjorie (Mike) Chaney of Caldwell and son, Thomas (Elisa) Bain of Lompoc, CA; two grandsons, Jason (Vanessa) Chaney of Boise, ID and Jared (Aimee) Chaney of Middleton, ID; one granddaughter, Mrs. Michelle Kelly of Norton Shores, MI; and six great-grandchildren, Alexandra, Devan, Jared Jr., Jacksen, Zoe, and Mia as well as many nephews and nieces.

Arrangements by Nampa Funeral Home Yraguen Chapel where an online guest book is available at www.nampafuneralhome.com.