Elizabeth A. Bencke

BENCKE, EDWARDS, HARRINGTON, IVES, KAUFMAN, ROEPKE, STRAND, THORP, WHITNAUER, WILKINSON

Posted By: Cindy Marshall (email)
Date: 12/2/2021 at 18:49:08

Elizabeth A. Bencke, 93, of Oelwein, Iowa died on Saturday morning, June 15, 2019 at Oelwein Health Care Center in Oelwein.

Memorial Service: 10:30 A.M. Thursday, June 20, 2019 at the Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home in Oelwein.

Visitation: 9:30 to 10:30 A.M. Thursday at the funeral home.

Inurnment: Hazleton Fontana Cemetery, Hazleton, Iowa.

Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com

Elizabeth Ann Wilkinson was born August 30, 1925, in rural Hazleton, the daughter of Robert and Bessie Muriel (Harrington) Wilkinson. She was the youngest of six children. Elizabeth attended Amish Country Schools and later attended Hazleton Consolidated High School.

On May 5, 1949, she married Noel Richard Ives and they later divorced. To this union two daughters were born: Bessie Lucille and Frances Ann. On November 3, 1961, she was united in marriage to Kenneth Dale Bencke at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Elizabeth, Illinois. Over the years, she was employed at Rath’s in Waterloo, Hinson’s in Waterloo, MHI in Independence and for 22 years at Oelwein Health Care Center as a CNA. Elizabeth was a wonderful cook and loved her work with the residents at the care center. She enjoyed her cats, crocheting and spending time with her grandchildren.

Elizabeth is survived by her 2 daughters: Bessie Lucille Strand of Oelwein and Fran Thorp of Oelwein; 4 grandsons: Justin Thorp of Cedar Falls, Andrew Thorp of Oelwein, Adam Thorp of Oelwein and Tyler Thorp (Lyndee Helmuth) of Oelwein; 3 great grandchildren: Roxton, Harley and Riley Thorp.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband on July 29, 2010; son-in-law: Orville Strand; and 5 siblings:Neva Kaufman,Edna Roepke,Earl Whitnauer,Dorothy Edwards and Robert Wilkinson.

The family would like to thank the staff at Oelwein Health Care and St.Croix Hospice for the wonderful care they gave to Elizabeth.