Lois Edna (Klein) Wiltgen 1927 - 2016

KLEIN, WILTGEN, KOKENGE

Posted By: Connie Swearingen -Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/18/2017 at 23:49:44

Sioux City Journal
19 August 2017

Sioux City, Iowa

Lois Edna (Klein) Wiltgen, 89, of Carlsbad, Calif., formerly of Sioux City, passed away on Dec. 4, 2016, at her home, surrounded by family members.

Memorial mass will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, at St Joseph's Church in Granville. There will a rosary at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, at the church. A funeral mass has already been held in California.

Lois was born on Oct. 27, 1927, in rural Granville, the daughter of Theodore and Frances Kokenge Klein. She was raised on the Klein family farm, attending nearby country schools. Lois married Gene Wiltgen, of Alton, Iowa, on June 2, 1948 at St. Joseph's Church in Granville. They had three daughters, Kathleen, Christine and Joni.

In the 1950s, Lois, Gene, and their girls lived in many places across Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota for Gene's surveying jobs. They moved to Ames, Iowa in 1959, when Gene started at Iowa State. Upon graduation, they moved to Sioux City, giving Lois the stability she longed for and close proximity to her family.

Lois, Gene, and Joni moved to Carlsbad, Calif. in 1978. While farther from her parents and siblings, Lois was excited to be closer to her daughters, Kathy and Chris, both of whom had already moved to California. Lois and Gene established their home as the center of their family for almost 40 years, welcoming four grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.

Lois became a familiar figure in Carlsbad, walking to the beach almost every day, often after her work at Carlsbad High School. Lois was proud of her 7-mile walk and her California tan. Lois was a multi-talented woman - sewing clothes for her family, making home furnishings, crocheting family treasured afghans, nurturing her plants, and especially baking for her family.

Staying in touch with her family and friends was very important to Lois, who always looked forward to her trips to Iowa. Lois valued her family and her Catholic faith above anything else, providing great comfort to her during hardships. Lois enjoyed travel with her children and grandchildren, experiencing many parts of the world including Europe, Greece, Hawaii, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico. Lois fondly remembered swinging to the sounds of the Leo Greco, Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller dance bands of her youth.

Lois is survived by her daughters, Kathy (husband, Carl Davidson), Chris Klein, and Joni (husband, Bob German); grandchildren, Matt (wife, Noell Clark), Jen (husband, Jeff Burt), and Sam and Jack German; great-granddaughter, Avery Burt, all of California; and sisters, Clarice Roder and Verna Bunkers; and brother, James Klein, all of Iowa.

Lois was preceded in death by her husband, Gene; parents, Theodore and Frances; and three brothers, Thomas, Marcel, and Merlyn.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a scholarship established at Iowa State University; mail-in gifts can be sent to Eugene F. and Lois E. Wiltgen Memorial Scholarship Fund, 2505 University Blvd., P.O. Box 2230, Ames IA 50010 or online at www.foundation.iastate.edu.