Bahrenfuss, Mary Lou Adams (1935-2021)

BAHRENFUSS, ADAMS, SONBERG

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 10/7/2021 at 14:18:52

Daily Freeman Journal
Webster City, Iowa
August 19, 2021

Mary Lou Bahrenfuss, 85, of Webster City, a life-long Webster City resident, died of COVID-19 complications on January 14, 2021 at Windsor Manor Assisted Living Center. Memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, August 21, 2021 at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Webster City with family members present one hour prior to the service.

Mary was born September 25, 1935 in Webster City, the daughter of Cecil Glen and Jessie Ruth (Sonberg) Adams. She graduated as Salutatorian of the Lincoln High School class of 1953 and attended Iowa State Teacher’s College receiving her teaching certificate in 1955.

She married Benjamin Keith Bahrenfuss on June 12, 1955 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Webster City. The couple resided in Waterloo while Keith continued his education and played football at ISTC and Mary taught at Elk Run Heights Elementary. They returned to Webster City in 1957.

Following the births of her children Mary returned to teaching and taught at the elementary level, most of it first grade, in Webster City until she retired in 1994. She continued her education during this time and earned her BA from UNI in 1969 and was a realtor working part-time at Abens Realty for several years.

She and Keith moved to Windsor Manor in June, 2017 and Mary entered the memory care area of the facility in November, 2018. While Alzheimer’s may have affected her memory, her smile and laughter remained until the very end.

She was a life-long member of Trinity Lutheran Church and enjoyed participating in TLC Project Days. She was a former member of AAUW and Delta Kappa Gamma.

She and Keith loved to travel in their retirement years, highlighted by going on a balloon ride and Safari in Africa, zip lining in Costa Rica, helicopter rides in Alaska, visiting Machu Picchu, Peru, going on cruises with long-time friends Dick and Joanne Claypool of Marshalltown, trips to Branson and wintering in Arizona for many years.

She loved playing bridge, her coffee groups, crafts, puzzles, reading, sewing, quilting, the Webster City Lynx, the Iowa Hawkeyes, being an election volunteer for Hamilton County and spending time with her family.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years; sons, Kevin (Trish) Bahrenfuss and Kenton (Diane) Bahrenfuss and daughter-in-law Deb Bahrenfuss of Webster City; grandchildren Ben, Erin, Cory (Sheryl), Tracy (Kyle), Chad (Becca), Robyn (Dylhan), Kelsey (Caleb), Dalton, Mari Kait and Madeline; 7 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a son Kyle in 2013; seven sisters-in laws and seven brothers-in laws.