Oetken, Freda J. 1910-2004

OETKEN, NIKOLEY, KELM

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 4/18/2009 at 19:10:21

AKRON, Iowa -- Freda J. Oetken, 94, of Akron passed away Saturday, Dec. 25, 2004, at Akron Care Center.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church, E.L.C.A., in Akron, with the Rev. Jerry Crow officiating. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery. Visitation will be after 3 p.m. today, with the family present after 6 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Carlsen Funeral Home, Schroeder Chapel in Akron.

Freda Josephine (Nikoley) Oetken was born Sept. 27, 1910, in Ute, Iowa, the daughter of Ludwig and Hulda (Kelm) Nikoley. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Ute. She received her education at St. Paul's Parochial School in Ute.

She was married to Mervin Oetken on May 14, 1939, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Ute. They moved to the Oetken family farm east of Akron shortly thereafter. They lived there until November 1983, when they retired and moved to town. Mervin passed away Jan. 26, 1984, in Akron. For the past five years, she had been a resident of the Akron Care Center.

She was a longtime member of Trinity Lutheran Church, E.L.C.A., the A.L.C.W. and Martha Circle. She enjoyed gardening, knitting, sewing, baking and spending time with her family and friends. She also enjoyed playing the bells for the Akron Bell Choir.

Survivors include a daughter and her husband, Mervetta and Norman Zischke of Cedar Falls, Iowa; two sons and their wives, Richard and Randy Oetken of Akron and Alan and Marlys Oetken of Fort Collins, Colo.; eight grandchildren, Lynn and her husband, Craig Conley, Ward Zischke and his wife, Mary, Toby Oetken, Staci Oetken, Jeffrey Oetken, Casey Oetken, Rebecca and her husband, Joel Duran and Matthew Oetken; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, four sisters, Laura, Anna, Elsie and Lydia; and a brother, Otto.

Pallbearers will be Alan Oetken, Norman Zischke, Richard Oetken, Lowell Thurow, Jeff Oetken, Casey Oetken and Norman Klaus. Honorary pallbearers will be Eldon Molzen, Ward Zischke, Toby Oetken, Craig Conley, Matthew Oetken, Alfred Thurow and Edgar Klaus.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal, part of the Darrell E. Obituary Collection