NIEMANN, Vivian 1932-1999

HENDRICKSON, LOVEN, NIEMANN, ROBINS

Posted By: IAGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 8/28/2010 at 11:41:20

Decorah Public Opinion, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 1999

Vivian Niemann

Vivian Niemann, 66, died Monday, Jan. 4, 1999, at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

Funeral services were held Thursday, Jan. 7, at Family of Christ Lutheran Church in Andover, Minn. Interment was held Saturday, Jan. 9, at Elmlawn Cemetery in Elmhurst, Illinois.

The Washburn-McReavy Seman Chapel in Coon Rapids, Minn. handled arrangements.

Vivian (Loven) Niemann was born Nov. 3, 1932, the daughter of Henry and Clarisse (Hendrickson) Loven. She was baptized Dec. 4, 1932, at Glenwood Lutheran Church, near Decorah.

On Aug. 31, 1947, she was confirmed at Glenwood. She had recently celebrated the 50-year anniversary of her confirmation at a reunion with her classmates.

After graduating from high school, she remained in Decorah to attend Luther College. She continued on to Iowa State Teachers College, now the University of Northern Iowa, where she earned her degree in elementary education.

She began her teaching career at the Lutheran Day Nursery in Chicago. During her tenure in Chicago, she found time to take classes at the Art Institute of Chicago and maintained an active interest in painting throughout her life. After four years of service, she sought a suburban setting. Vivian was hired to teach third grade at Immanuel Lutheran School in Elmhurst, Illinois.

It was during her time at Immanuel that she was introduced to her husband, Donald Niemann. They were married Oct. 6, 1962.

In 1965, she left the classroom with the coming of their first son, David. The family grew in 1966 with the birth of their daughter, Kathryn and again in 1971, with the birth of their son, Scott.

Although Vivian was not in a formal classroom setting, she continued her teaching by supporting her children's education at Immanuel Lutheran School. She also worked with Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and Scouting programs.

In 1979, the family moved to Newton, Kan., when Donald's employer, Bunting Magnetics, relocated. They became members of Zion Lutheran Church in Newton.

Vivian was soon working with the Christian education programs at Zion, including a term as Sunday School superintendent.

When her children went on to universities, Vivian rededicated herself to formal Christian education by founding Zion Preschool. Soon the preschool, was full to capacity with a waiting list of children.

She led the preschool until Donald became ill and died of cancer in 1993.

She then took the position of elementary director of Christian education at Zion.

In 1966, Vivian decided to return to her northern roots and built a home in Andover, Minn. She joined Family of Christ Lutheran Church in Andover.

At this church she served as education director from February to June of 1998. During this time, she develop a summer Sunday School program for Family of Christ.

The couple enjoyed having their children earn master's degrees, with David and Scott going on to earn Ph.D degrees. David is completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University in North Carolina. Kathryn is
married to Philip Robins and is teaching high school in Ventura, Calif. Scott is an economist in Washington D.C., and is engaged to Catherine Jew.

Vivian Niemann is survived by two brothers, Orval Loven of Peterson, Minn., and Lloyd Loven of Dallas, Texas.

Transcribed by an IA GenWeb Volunteer from obituaries found in the Howard-Winneshiek Genealogy Society Library, Cresco, Iowa.