MENNENGA, Wilma 1921-2011

MENNENGA, STEFFEN, BACKHAUS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 3/26/2015 at 07:20:05

Wilma B. Mennenga, 89, of Reinbeck, Iowa, died Monday, May 9, 2011, at Covenant Medical Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 12, 2011, at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Reinbeck with Pastor Bruce Boyce officiating. Burial will follow at the Reinbeck Cemetery in Reinbeck. Visitation will be Wednesday, May 11, 2011, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. with the family present to greet friends at French Hand Funeral Home in Reinbeck. A memorial fund has been established.

Wilma Bernice was born November 5, 1921 in Marcus, Iowa, the daughter of John and Minnie (Backhaus) Steffen. She grew up in the rural Cherokee area of her birth and attended school there until moving to Reinbeck in 1936 to live with her Grandma Saak after her grandpa died. She graduated from Reinbeck High School with the class of 1939.

On April 3, 1943, at the Lutheran Church, in Louisville, Kentucky, she was united in marriage to PFC Walter Mennenga. After their marriage they lived in the Kentucky area before moving to the Reinbeck area. They welcomed three children to their family Gordon, Sandra and Gary. She enjoyed cooking, gardening and traveling. She was very well accomplished seamstress in her day. Wilma enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She was a member of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Reinbeck.

Surviving are her husband, Walter of Reinbeck; three children, Gordon (Lynn) Mennenga of Iowa City, Sandra Stark of Waterloo and Gary (Kathy) Mennenga of Fairfield, Idaho; 6 grandchildren, Todd, Kate, Andrew, Jorden, Amanda, Cody; 3 great-grandchildren; a sister, Lorna (Clarion) Lofte of Des Moines, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She is preceded in death by her parents (John and Minnie Steffen), two brothers, Lyle and Kenneth; two sisters, Lucile and Lamerne.

--Abels Funeral Homes (www.abelsfuneralhomes.com)