Oetken, Lawrence J. 1928-1999

OETKEN, LUBBEN, STRUBLE

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/15/2007 at 21:07:51

LAWRENCE J. OETKEN

LE MARS, Iowa --- Lawrence John Henry Oetken, 71, of LeMars, died Thursday, Dec. 23, 1999, at a Sioux City hospital.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. John's Lutheran Church, E.L.C.A., in LeMars, with the Rev. Gary Landsness officiating. Burial will be in Resthaven Memory Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 7 p.m. at Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in LeMars.

Mr. Oetken was born Oct. 28, 1928, in Grant Township, rural Plymouth County, Iowa, the son of John and Getha (Lubben) Oetken. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. He attended country school in Grant and Elgin Townships.

He married Shirley Struble on Feb. 12, 1950, in Sioux City. He farmed and raised cattle in Elgin Township. He was also employed as a mechanic with Pew’s in LeMars. The coupled retired in 1991 and moved into LeMars.

He was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, E.L.C.A. and enjoyed reading and playing cards.

Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Beth and her husband, Charles Holden of Rawlins, Wyo., Carol and her husband, John Johnson of Omaha and Lisa Reuter of LeMars; two sons and their wives, Neal and Sheryl and Jim and Darlene, all of LeMars; 13 grandchildren; a great-granddaughter; two brothers, Herman of LeMars and Donald and his wife, Dixie, of Brunsville, Iowa; four sisters, Alice Reid of San Bruno, Calif., Lucille Slay of San Antonio, Laura and her husband, Leonard Campbell and Marlene and her husband, Tom Arens, all of LeMars; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Kenneth.

~source: Sioux City Journal