Vera K. Hediger 1918-2011

HEDIGER EBEL STRAUB KLUENDER HUGHES

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 4/13/2011 at 20:57:12

Sioux City Journal
18 February 2011

SIOUX CITY -- Vera K. Hediger, 92, of Sioux City passed on to her eternal reward on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011, at a local nursing home.

Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at St. John Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Gregory Hanneman officiating. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Online condolences can be sent to meyerbroschapels.com.

Vera, the daughter of John C. and Katherine (Straub) Ebel, was born on Oct. 23, 1918, in Paullina, Iowa. After being raised in the Paullina area, Vera moved to Sioux City where she became a lifelong resident.

She married Edwin Kluender on June 27, 1937. She married Tom Hughes on Oct. 19, 1963. Vera married George Hediger on Nov. 21, 1976. The couple divorced in 1985.

Her parenting was mostly gentle, raising her voice but not her hand. She not only raised her own 10 children, she also babysat several of her grandchildren and many, many other people's children in her home-based daycare. She also added to the family income by doing laundry for many besides the mountains she did for her own family. She was one of those rare people who actually enjoyed ironing. She proudly told people she was the mother of ten healthy children.

Vera and her second husband, Tom were frequent customers at Floyd Monument Mini-Golf. She enjoyed playing cards, board games, and country music. She preferred the older classics and even visited Nashville and Branson several times to enjoy seeing it in person. She liked to travel, whether it was just a long Sunday afternoon drive or her most adventurous trip to visit a daughter on a remote Caribbean island. For many years she escaped the Iowa winters by going to Mesa, Ariz., Brownsville, or San Antonio, Texas to stay with her daughters in each locale. To make any outing complete, she always wanted to stop for something to eat, her favorite hot fudge sundae at DQ or french fries.

Vera is survived by three sons, Russel (Barbara) Kluender of Indianapolis, Ind., Roger (Sandra) Kluender of Moville, Iowa, and Randy Kluender and his fiancee, Gam of Sioux City; seven daughters, Roanne (Ray) Porter of Sloan, Iowa, Ruth Miller of San Antonio, Texas, Reva (Joe) O'Connor of Mesa, Ariz., Ronda (Dennis) Reitz of Sioux City, RomaLee Johnson of Homer, Neb., Rosemary (Rick) Alter of Sioux City, and RolaJean (Richard) Sowienski of Orange City, Iowa; 16 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents; three husbands; two sisters, Roberta and June; two grandchildren, Scott and Kathy; and one great-grandchild, Jason.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Sunrise Retirement Community or Hospice of Siouxland. The family greatly appreciated the loving care given to Vera by both Sunrise Retirement Community and Hospice of Siouxland during her final days.