Leona Mae (Koenen) WENZEL

WENZEL, KOENEN, ECKHOFF, STEENHARD, TRAGER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/4/2007 at 00:50:33

Mason City Globe Gazette
May 26, 2005

BELMOND — Leona Mae Wenzel, 92, of Belmond passed away Monday (May 23, 2005) at Belmond Health Care Center in Belmond. Funeral services for Leona Wenzel will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. John Lutheran Church in Belmond with Pastor Lowell H. Halvorson officiating. Burial will be in the Belmond Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Dugger Ewing Funeral Home, 111 Luick's Lane S. in Belmond, and one hour prior to services on Friday at the church.

Leona Mae Koenen Wenzel was born on May 15, 1913, on the family farm near Meservey to parents John and Annie Eckhoff Koenen. She attended school through eighth grade in Meservey. After school, she helped on the family farm. She also helped in many homes with new babies and mothers. Leona attended Sunday school at Meservey Reform-ed Church. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Belmond in 1943. Leona married Elmer Wenzel on Sept. 24, 1940, in Manson, Iowa. They farmed near Meservey where Leona enjoyed gardening, embroidery and canning from her own garden. She was also a wonderful baker. They lived on the farm until Elmer's death in 1970. Leona then moved to Belmond where she belonged to the Grandmother's Club and Ladies Circle at the church. Most of all, Leona enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Leona is survived by her daughter, Carolyn (Robert) Wenzel of Alexander; two sons: Merlin, (Kathryn) Wenzel of Phoenix, Ariz., and Gene (Karen) Wenzel of Mount Pleasant; 17 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; sister, Phyllis Steenhard, of Meservey; sister- in-law, Irene Koenen of Meservey; and many nieces and nephews. Leona was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Elmer; son, Emery; grandson, Matthew Wenzel; and brothers, Alvin (Bud) Koenen, and Virgil Koenen; and sister, Edna Trager. The family requests memorials be directed to Hospice of Wright County. Dugger Ewing Funeral Home