Lynn Conley Anthony, 68, of North Loup, Nebraska, passed away on June 9, 2026; leaving behind a lifetime of memories and enough stories to fill a diner booth for days.

Lynn graduated from Elba High School in 1976. Never one to sit still for long, she continued her education at the University of Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, graduating in 1978, attended the University of Portland, and later earned a degree from the University of Arizona in 1984. During her college years she bartended having learned the ability to be a part-time therapy mixologist at her parent’s steak house in Elba. She spent time in the classroom as an Ag teacher, later landed a job at Hewlett Packard where she met Ken Anthony, a software engineer and they married in 1996.

Lynn was blessed with an adventurous spirit, an entrepreneurial mind, and a knack for turning ideas into reality. Alongside her husband, Ken, she owned and operated Leapin’ Lizards Promotional Products in Corvallis, Oregon creating a successful venture.

When her mother's health began to decline, Lynn temporarily returned to Nebraska to care for her while Ken continued to keep the business running in Oregon, until he passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. After losing her mom and husband, Lynn decided to move back to Nebraska; looking after her dad at the home place. In 2021, she opened The Barn Door Diner in North Loup, fulfilling a longtime dream by renovating a 100-year-old building keeping its integrity and charm. Health issues plagued her and soon after opening the diner she was diagnosed with stage 4 chronic kidney disease and heart issues which forced her to give up her dream.

Lynn will be remembered for her entrepreneurial spirit, and her many hobbies including traveling, love of antiques, knitting, beading, stained glass, baking her famous carrot cakes and sour dough breads, trying exotic recipes, and always with a four-legged companion at her side. She was well known for her legendary annual Junk Jaunt sales where merchandise seemed to multiply rather than disappear.

Survivors include stepmother, Kay Stewart of California; brother, Steven Conley of Lake Havasu City, Arizona; sister, Christy and Mike Shouse of Santa Rosa, California; nieces and nephews; friends and coffee companies who will miss her dearly.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Sharon and stepdad, Ed Conley; her father, Sam Stewart, and her husband of 20 years, Ken.

Lynn's family finds comfort knowing she has finally earned a well-deserved rest. She handed in her apron, closed the diner door, found a forever home for her best friend “Rocky”, an adorable schnauzer and finished her final to-do list which truly never got done.

If there's a diner in heaven, Lynn has already changed the menu, greeted the customers and put the coffee on.