Wheatman, Muriel Irene (Nicholson) Isenberger 1922 - 2017

WHEATMAN, NICHOLSON, ROGNLIEN, ISENBERGER, ARMSTRONG, PETERSON, CROATT, INGLETT, NORDHEIM

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 12/4/2017 at 19:54:20

Muriel (Mickey) I. Wheatman, age 95, of Decorah, IA, died on Saturday, November 11, 2017 at Barthell O.E.S. Home in Decorah.

Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, November 17 at Fjelstul Funeral Home Church in Decorah, with Rev. David Sorenson officiating. Inurnment will be in Phelps Cemetery in Decorah.

Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. Friday, November 17, one hour before the service, at Fjelstul Funeral Home.

Muriel (Mickey) Irene Isenberger Wheatman was delivered at home by her parents (Ella Rognlien Nicholson & William Nicholson) on June 6, 1922 on the family farm just outside of Decorah, Iowa. She was one of the last babies to be baptized at home on June 25, 1922 by Pastor Paul Koren. Muriel attended school for one year at a small one room country schoolhouse before moving from the farm to Decorah at age 7 during the Great Depression. Mickey grew up in 1930’s Decorah, walking to school, spending time with friends and in area parks like Siewers Spring. A highlight of Mickey’s school years was being named the Homecoming Queen for the Decorah class of 1940.

During her lifetime, Mickey often remarked that she was “lucky in love” and that she had two happy marriages each lasting over 30 years. She married her high school sweetheart, Lowell Edward Isenberger, on August 3, 1941, a few months prior to the start of WWII. Mickey and Lowell started their marriage in Oakland, California until Lowell enlisted for service. When Lowell was deployed to New Guinea, Mickey returned to Decorah. Mickey and Lowell had three daughters: Janeen, Susan, and Tracy. Lowell died on June 1, 1978.

Several years after Lowell’s death, Mickey reconnected with a high school friend, Roger Wheatman who she married on February 14, 1982.

Muriel was an accomplished seamstress and took pride in sewing beautiful Easter dresses for each of her girls when they were young. She was a member of “Stitch & Chatter”, card clubs and dabbled in Rosemaling and knitting. She took great pride in her home, which she lived in for over 40 years and enjoyed collecting fine glassware and Scandanavian items. She loved to read cookbooks, had several “Grandma Mickey” specialties (fondly remembered and recreated by her grandchildren) and for years hosted family gatherings for many Christmas, birthday and holiday celebrations. She was a member of Decorah Lutheran Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Lowell Isenberger in 1978 and Roger Wheatman in 2014 and son-in-law Kent Armstrong in 2016.

Muriel is survived by her daughters Janeen Armstrong of Winnebago, MN; Susan (Chip) Peterson of Decorah, IA; Tracy (Roger) Croatt of St. Lucas, IA and stepdaughter Pat (Neil) Inglett of Janesville, WI. Also surviving is her sister Eileen Nordheim of Decorah, IA; eight grandchildren, one step-granddaughter, twelve great-grandchildren, and two step-great-grandchildren.

Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database

Phelps Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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