Mentzer, Lora A. – 1928–2011

DEVICK, ELROD, KOEPSELL, MENTZER, SMITH, WESENBERG, WILSON, WULFF

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 3/16/2011 at 17:32:34

Lora Anna Smith Mentzer, 82, wife of ET (Tye) Mentzer, died Thursday, March 3, 2011, at Waterford At All Saints in Sioux Falls, S.D. A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 10, at Canton Lutheran Church, Canton, S.D. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, at Anderson Funeral Home in Canton with family present from 6 to 7 p.m. and 8 to 9 p.m.
Lora was born Aug. 8, 1928, to Otto and Margaret (Wesenberg) Koepsell at Canova, S.D. She grew up on a farm near Canova. She attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, and received a two-year teaching degree. Lora married Russell E. J. Smith on April 24, 1954, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Canova. Russ was a JC Penney store manager and worked and managed stores in Waverly, Iowa; Milwaukee, Wis.; Winner, S.D.; Champaign, Ill.; Watertown, S.D.; Aberdeen, S.D.; and Bismarck, N.D. After Russ retired in 1988, Lora and Russ moved to Grand Marais, Minn., and lived on Devil Track Lake. Russ died April 21, 1994.
Lora married ET Mentzer May 23, 1999. They divided their time between Grand Marais, Minn.; Newton, Iowa; and Palm Desert, Calif. Lora moved to Sioux Falls to the Memory Care Unit at Waterford At All Saints in 2009.
Lora was involved in PEO, the women’s groups of the Lutheran Churches she attended, Lion’s Club and many community groups in each town in which she lived. Her family was very important to her. She also enjoyed gardening, bird watching, golfing and traveling.
Grateful for sharing her life are her daughter, Margaret (John) Devick of Canton, S.D.; sons, David Smith of St. Louis, Mo., and Jim (Louise) Smith of St. Louis, Mo.; sister, Linda (Jack) Wulff of Chula Vista, Calif.; brothers, Delmar (Martha) Koepsell of Salem, S.D., and Ralph (Shirley) Koepsell of Edina, Minn.; grandchildren, Tonya Smith of Fayetteville, Ark., Jenny (Dennis) Wilson of Springdale, Ark., Alicia Smith of St. Charles, Mo., Kari (Jason) Elrod of Canton and Christopher Devick of Milford, Pa.; five great-grandchildren; and her husband, ET (Tye) Mentzer.
Source: Newton Daily News; Tuesday, March 8, 2011