WERGES, Elayne Joyce, Deacon (Stoen) 1959-2019

WERGES, STOEN, LIEN

Posted By: K.L. Kittleson
Date: 11/7/2024 at 16:45:09

Deacon Elayne J. Werges

September 17, 2019

Deacon Elayne Joyce Werges, age 60, of Meroa, passed away Tuesday September 17, 2019, at her home.

Cremation has taken place.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 25, 2019, at Rock Creek Lutheran Church, 3269 Foothill Avenue, Osage, with Rev. Mark A. Anderson, Assistant to the Bishop, officiating. There will be a gathering of family and friends from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home in Osage. Following services on Wednesday, there will be a “Potluck” luncheon and a time to greet the family at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family to be distributed to charities close to Elayne’s heart.

Elayne J. Werges was the oldest daughter born to Harold and Celia (Lien) Stoen on July 29, 1959, at Smith Memorial Hospital in Decorah, Iowa. She was a daughter, sister, wife, mother of three boys, mother-in-law, aunt, grandmother to Kolton and Kamryn, a friend, Iowan, weaver, social worker, Diaconal Minister #202, and baptized child of God. She was Consecrated in November of 2011. She was called to a ministry of Word and Service that reminds the Baptized that they are called to live out the promises that were made at Baptism.

Elayne was baptized at Big Canoe Lutheran Church and was confirmed at Highland Lutheran Church. She attended schools in Hesper, Iowa, Spring Grove, Minnesota, and graduated from Decorah High School in 1977. On August 20, 1977, Elayne married David A. Werges at Big Canoe Lutheran Church. She worked at Prairie du Chien Hospital as a nursing assistant, Sharon’s Grocery Store (Garnavillo), North Central Human Services (Forest City), and Opportunity Homes (Decorah).

Elayne held a B.A. Degree in Social Work from Luther College in Decorah Iowa. During her career as a social worker, she worked at Spectrum Industries (Decorah), Northeast Iowa Mental Health Center (Decorah), Alternative Services, Family Support Network, Council on Child Abuse and Neglect (Columbia, SC), IYAP (Indiana), Lexington Interfaith Community Services (Lexington, SC), Gerard of Iowa (Mason City), and Hospice of North Iowa. Elayne then received a Master of Arts Degree in Ministerial Studies, specializing in family, youth, and children’s ministry from the Lutheran Theological Seminary Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. During her career, she had worked with Hospice, adults with disabilities, troubled teens, disaster recovery, family therapy, taught and coordinated parenting classes, and was the director of Social Services for a local food pantry and agency that provided financial assistance for people in need.

She served the Church at large through work on the Northeastern Iowa Synod Council, WIYLDE staff, Home Life Network, and was one of the editors of the monthly newsletter “Living Faith @ Home”. She served as a Churchwide Assembly Voting Member in 2005, and Community Life-team member at Youth Gatherings. She served her community through volunteer work with the United States Army Family Readiness Group, Chickasaw County Disaster Recovery Committee-chair, Floyd County Habitat for Humanity Board member, and as a 4-H leader and county fair judge. She was currently serving on the First Call Theological Education Network and the Living a Life of Faith Committee.

Elayne served the congregations of St. John Lutheran Church in Nashua, St. Paul Lutheran Church in Wellsburg, Bethany Lutheran Church in Iowa Falls, and Cross Roads Lutheran Parish (Faith Lutheran in Mitchell, Rock Creek Lutheran in Meroa, St. Luke Lutheran in Nora Springs, and St. John’s Lutheran Church, Rock Township).

Elayne grew up in a family of Norwegian descent on a farm that was situated on the Iowa/Minnesota border north of Decorah, Iowa. In 1990, David and Elayne bought her grandparents’ Century Farm located in Highlandville, a small village nestled in the bluffs of Winneshiek County. The farm is now included as one of the retreat centers for Living Waters Retreat Centers locations, sponsored by the Northeastern Iowa Synod-ELCA.

Elayne served at the place where faith meets life, which she referred to as practical theology. She strived to demonstrate a servant heart as she endeavored to equip and empower the baptized to use their gifts and their brokenness to love and serve God through cross generational ministry. Along with her husband Dave, she has led mission trips across the country and to Central America and Haiti, and was working on trips to the rest of the world, all in an effort to join with all God’s beloved children in their journey of faith, walking together to share in God’s love and hope.

Elayne faced life’s challenges with faith, courage, grace and a smile on her face. You could find Elayne feeding people, exploring, trying to figure things out, looking for creative solutions, and looking for what it means to serve God and God’s people here in this life. She enjoyed cooking and baking, potlucks, weaving, arts and crafts, horses, travel, Disneyworld, and spending time with her family and friends. She especially enjoyed her grandkids, and the “Unplanned Adventures”.

Elayne is survived by her husband, Rev. David A. Werges of Meroa; her children, Kristopher and Becky Werges of Highlandville, Iowa, and their children, Kolton and Kamryn, Kevin and Rachel Werges of Highlandville, and Marcus Werges of Cayce, South Carolina; her parents, Harold and Celia Stoen of Highlandville; siblings, Edward Stoen of Decorah, and Laurel and Kip Groettum of Pine Island, Minnesota; David’s parents, Allen and Esther Werges of Monona; David’s sisters, Mary and Sheryl Zittergruen of Monona, and Pam and Del Glover of Monona; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Walter and Thea Stoen; and her maternal grandparents, Elmer and Grace Lien.

Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home 641-732-3706

SOURCE: Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home website