Mary Elizabeth Beenken Edwards, 1917-2006

BEENKEN, VIGDAL, EDWARDS

Posted By: Judith Rieffer Theiss (email)
Date: 7/7/2012 at 19:13:38

Elizabeth Beenken the daughter of Henry and Caroline (Long) Beenken, was born April 18, 1917 on the family farm near Lakota, Iowa. She died on Saturday, October 28, 2006 at Valley Vue Care Center in Armstrong, Iowa at the age of 89 years, 6 months and 10 days.

Elizabeth attended country school near Lakota, Iowa. She later moved with her family to Titonka, Iowa. She was united in marriage to Christ Rieffer and they farmed near Stevens and Lakota for several years. She married Harold Vigdal in 1948 and moved to Armstrong where she helped him farm until his death in 1960. In 1961, she married Raymond Edwards and they continued to farm the Vigdal farm until their retirement.

Elizabeth was a member of the Nazareth Lutheran Church in Armstrong and for many years participated in the Iowa Lake Township Women's Club and TOPS. She was an avid reader and loved novels and poetry.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Jerald and Robin Vigdal of Arizona; Carol and Marian Rieffer of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Gary and Linda Rieffer of Machesney Park, Illinois; Judith Rieffer Theiss of Columbus, Ohio; David and Nadine Vigdal of Monticello, Minnesota; and sisters-in-law, Mary Beenken of Emmetsburg; Evelyn Beenken of Albert Lea, Minnesota; Lillian White of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

She has been preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Christ Rieffer, Harold Vigdal and Raymond Edwards; brothers, Heilmer, Henry, Donald, Heiko, Eugene; sister, Lottie Beenken Meinders Bach; half-sister, Hattie Beenken Ubben; half-brothers, Hans, Peter, Jelto, Warner and George.

SERVICE INFORMATION
Pastor David R. Olson - Officiating

MUSIC
Amazing Grace - In The Garden
taped selections

CASKETBEARERS
Max Rieffer - Jim Kent
Chris Kent - Michael Juhler

INTERMENT
Armstrong Grove Cemetery
Armstrong