McKenna, Nicki (1949-2014)

MCKENNA, VILAS, MUMMERT, CLIFFORD, FUSS, BELSON, MCCORMICK, TRELOAR, HUFF, SCHULTZ

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 1/3/2015 at 14:18:03

Nicki McKenna
January 5, 1949 - November 30, 2014

Nicki McKenna, age 65, of Storm Lake, Iowa, died on Sunday, November 30, 2014, at her home in Storm Lake.

Nickala “Nicki” Jo Vilas was born on January 5, 1949, in Storm Lake, Iowa, a daughter of Wilbert and Joan (Mummert) Vilas.

Growing up, she attended school in Storm Lake graduating from Storm Lake High School in May 1967. Then, she enrolled at Stewart's School of Cosmetology in Sioux City, finishing in June of 1968. After getting her license, she was hired by Stewarts to work in their shop in Omaha, Nebraska.

She met her future husband, Edward McKenna, at a club called Bill Bailey's in the Benson area of Omaha in March of 1969. She and Ed became engaged in May of 1969 and married on September 5, 1969, in Storm Lake. From this union, four children were born: Shawna, Brandon, Troy, and Ryan. Although she was raised Methodist, she converted to Catholicism shortly after her marriage.

She and her family lived in Omaha, Nebraska, and Manhattan, Kansas, while Ed served in the army at Ft. Riley, Kansas, before he returned to Omaha in 1973. Wanting to raise their children in their small hometown, they moved back to Storm Lake in October of 1977 when Ed bought Ireland Drug.

A member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority in Storm Lake and a scout leader for a few years, Nicki, also, served on St. Mary’s CCD board, the Storm Lake Sports Boosters, and the Storm Lake Music Boosters. In addition, she served as the CHO (Chief Hospitality Officer) for Ed’s Apothecary men’s softball league as well as for the Storm Lake Whitecaps traveling baseball team. An avid Creighton BlueJay fan, she attended almost all of their home games even while battling ALS. She, also, enjoyed doing cross stitch, sewing, knitting baby things for family and friends, painting, quilting, and scrap booking for her family. Moreover, she had a love for reading which she enjoyed until the end.

After her children left home, Nicki went back to work. She became a barista for Abner Bell's Coffeehouse before taking over as manager, a position she held for a few years before going to work for the Storm Lake School District as a Special Ed Aide, a job she thoroughly enjoyed. She worked for about ten years at that job before she had to retire in May of 2012 because of her declining health. She was diagnosed with ALS on May 16, 2013.

Her greatest pleasure came when following her children's and grandchildren’s sporting events and various other activities. Proud of their achievements, she would readily show pictures of them at their latest recitals, baseball games, karate classes, or with their newest art projects.

She and Ed took many trips around the time of their anniversary. Perhaps most memorable was their trip in 2012 to the McKenna’s ancestral home in Ireland. Ed was able to attend the Notre Dame vs Navy football game in Dublin. They were able to see many beautiful sights and connect with some McKenna family members in Buncrana, County Donegal. It was a wonderful way to celebrate 43 years of marriage. They wished to return to Ireland with their children and their spouses for their 50th.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Edward J. McKenna, of Storm Lake, Iowa; her children: Shawna (Steven) Clifford, of Bluffton, South Carolina, Brandon (Rachel) McKenna, of Omaha, Nebraska, Troy (Erica) McKenna, of North Ridgeville, Ohio, and Ryan McKenna and Ana Colon, of West Palm Beach, Florida; her grandchildren: Bridget Rae, Cailin Mae, and Patrick Clay Clifford; Hailey Marie Fuss; Alyssa Mya, Emma Morgan, and Makayla Joan McKenna; her father, Willie Vilas (Marlene Witt); her sister, Mikka Belson, of Holstein, Iowa; her brother, Doug Vilas, of Storm Lake, Iowa; two brothers-in-law and a sister-in-law: Terry McCormick, of Jacksonville, Florida, and Jon and Patti McKenna, of Storm Lake, Iowa; and her aunt, Arlene Vilas; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She, also, served as a mother to her nieces and nephews and all of her children’s families and friends, a role that brought her great joy and honor!

Nicki was preceded in death by her grandparents: Oliver and Fay (Treloar) Vilas and Troy and Grace (Huff) Mummert; her mother, Joan (Mummert) Vilas; mother- and father-in-law: Alberta and Lawrence McKenna; her sister-in-law, Susanna “Sanna” McCormick; her nephew, Brian McCormick; her aunts and uncles: Billie and Doris Mummert, Dale and Marian Mummert, and Dwain Vilas; and her cousins, Mike Mummert and Cheryl Mummert Schultz.

Her motto during her fight with ALS was: "I do what I can, the best that I can, day after day! That's all I can do!" She never gave up the fight!

Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 5, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Storm Lake. Burial will take place in Storm Lake Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 4, 2014, from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m., all at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake where the family will be present the entire time. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made towards a bench at East Playground or a scholarship fund for Storm Lake High School students who study to become Special Ed Teachers or therapists who work with students with disabilities. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements.

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