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Kestel, Henrietta Nerina (1920-2013)

KESTEL, JANNING, MUELLER, NYHUS

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 12/31/2013 at 16:52:01

Henrietta Nerina Kestel
March 11, 1920 - December 16, 2013
Storm Lake, Iowa

Henrietta Nerina Kestel, age 93, of Storm Lake, Iowa, died on Monday, December 16, 2013, at the Methodist Manor Retirement Community in Storm Lake.

Henrietta Nerina Janning was born on March 11, 1920, on the family farm near Carroll, Iowa, a daughter of George and Mary (Mueller) Janning. Growing up, she attended church and school at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel near Carroll.

On December 1, 1956, Henrietta married Robert Leo Kestel at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Fonda, Iowa. They were blessed with three children: Jeff, George, and Annette.

Very active in her community, Henrietta belonged to St. Mary’s Guild, St. Mary’s Quilter’s Circle, St. Joseph’s Rosary Society in Schaller, the Farm Bureau, and the Married Meeters. She, also, served on the Association of Retarded Citizens Board.

A loving wife and mother, a fantastic cook, an accomplished seamstress and gardener, and a creative handy woman, she worked tirelessly for her family. As a farm wife, she had learned that no one should ever start or end a day hungry. Consequently, she always had something good cooking in the kitchen. She, for example, made sure she had homemade bread and cinnamon rolls on hand for breakfast or any other time of the day. She needed only one trip to town every week or two to keep her household running smoothly. On many occasions, everyone in the family wore clothes that she had expertly sewn. Indeed, she won several awards for the sewing projects she submitted at the Buena Vista County Fair. Very handy with tools, she could see potential in various raw materials such as cans, fabric, wood scraps, plants, contact paper, paint, nails, wire and glue. With these basic supplies, she could decorate a house or fix a bike!

Henrietta had a strong faith in God, which she conscientiously shared with her children and grandchildren. She was always willing to help out at church, teaching CCD and arranging flowers. The family’s schedule always revolved around church: attending mass, going to confession, celebrating holy days, and praying the rosary as a family daily.

Those left to cherish her memory include her children: Jeff (Jane) and George Kestel, of Storm Lake, Iowa, and Sister Annette Kestel, PBVM, of Hiawatha, Iowa; her grandchildren: Jill, Megan, and Alec (Sierra) Kestel; her sister, Mary Agnes Nyhus, of Sioux City, Iowa; and her sister-in-law, Bettie Janning, of Storm Lake, Iowa; as well as numerous other relatives and friends.

Henrietta was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Kestel; her parents, George and Mary Janning; her brothers: Joseph, Clarence (Eva), Cletus (Dorothy), Paul (Marguerite), and Ivan (Ardis).

Visitation: 4:00-7:00 p.m. with a rosary at 4:00 p.m., December 18, 2013, at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake, Iowa.
Mass of Christian Burial: 10:30 a.m., December 19, 2013, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Storm Lake, Iowa.
Vigil Service: 6:30 p.m., December 18, 2013, at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake, Iowa.
Interment: December 19, 2013, at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Storm Lake, Iowa.

Copyright © 2013, Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Homes

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