Willenborg, Mary Veronica 1907-1997

WILLENBORG, FREKING, WALDSCHMITT, ZENK

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 8/17/2015 at 20:28:44

Note: She is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery under her first married name of Freking.

Mary Willenborg

Mrs. Elmer (Mary) Willenborg, 90, of Remsen, died Friday, Jan. 31, 1997, at the Happy Siesta Nursing Home in Remsen following a lengthy illness.

The former Mary Waldschmitt, she was born Jan. 23, 1907, at rural Remsen, the daughter of John V. and Bernadine (Zenk) Waldschmitt. She was raised in the Remsen area and received her education in the township school, St. Mary's Elementary School at Remsen and St. angel's Institute at Carroll. She did domestic work in the Remsen and Sioux City area and was also a housekeeper for a priest.

On June 19, 1935, she married John H. Freking at St. Mary's Church in Remsen. The couple farmed in the Remsen area until his death on Nov. 2, 1959.

On Aug. 5, 1978, she married Elmer Willenborg at St. Mary's Church in Remsen, where they made their home. She had been a resident of the Happy Siesta Nursing Home in Remsen since July 19, 1995.

She was known for her hospitality, generosity, compassion, faith and love of family.

She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Remsen, the Catholic Daughters of America, Christian Mothers, Third Order of St. Francis, member and past officer of Ladies Catholic Order of Foresters, Cursillo. She was past member of St. Mary's Church Choir, Mission Society, V. F. W. Auxiliary, Peer Group Ministry, Prayer Group and various card clubs.

Survivors incluge her husband; one son, Ronald and his wife, Janice Freking of Salt Lake City, Utah; four daughters, Sister Marilyn Freking, O. S. F., Chicago, Ill., Sister Carole Freking, O. S. F., Nevada, Iowa, Betty and her husband, Robert Ryba of Omaha, Neb., and Rose Ann and her husband, Thomas Harvat of North Platte, Neb.; one stepson, Tom and his wife, Jan Willenborg of Corona, Calif.; three step-daughters and their husbands, Mary and Eli Zirul of Kansas City, Mo., Ann and Dallas Hoist of Big Fork, Mont., and Joyce and Marty Malin of Oak Park, Ill.; eight grandchildren; 10 step-grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; three step-great-grandchildren; three brothers, Paul Waldschmitt and Raymond and his wife, Agnes Waldschmitt, all of Remsen, and John Waldschmitt of Le Mars; and a brother-in-law, Leon Steele of Fulton, Ill.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Michael as a child and Louis Waldschmitt; two sisters, Mrs. Leon (Louise) Steele and Mrs. Al (Otillia) Diekmann; a step-son, John Willenborg and a step-daughter, Jane Willenborg.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Remsen with the Rev. John J. McGuirk officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery at Remsen. Friends may call anytime after 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Fisch Funeral Home in Remsen. There will be a rosary at 3 p.m. by the Christian Mothers and Catholic Daughters of America; a rosary at 3:30 p.m. by the Third Order of St. Francis and a vigil prayer service at 7:30 p.m., all at the Fisch Funeral Home.

Le Mars Daily Sentinel
Monday, February 3, 1997
Le Mars, Iowa