Herma (Vierkant) LAUEN

LAUEN, VIERKANT, BEENEN, WENZEL, DIRKS, PALS, NORDMAN, JOSTEN, HAFERMANN, BALEK, BOVENMYER, DORENKAMP

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/20/2008 at 12:07:01

March 7, 2006

Herma Lauen, 95, formerly of Meservey, died on Sunday, March 5, 2006, at the Concord Care Center in Garner. Funeral services were held on Wednesday morning, March 8, at the First Reformed Church in Meservey, with Rev. Rodney Meester presiding. Interment was in the Meservey Cemetery.

Herma was born on July 6, 1910, on the family farm near Meservey, the daughter of George and Dena (Beenen) Vierkant. She was baptized in the Alexander Reformed Church and attended country school. At a young age her mother died during a flu epidemic and Herma helped raise her brothers and sisters. She also worked as a housekeeper to help support her family. On December 2, 1936, Herma married Andrew H. Lauen at the Parsonage of the First Reformed Church in Meservey. They moved to Sunnyvale, California for a few years, then to Marshalltown for a couple years, before settling in Meservey where they raised their family. Herma was a devoted member of the First Reformed Church in Meservey and a loving mother and grandmother. For 42 years she had children in her home, whether her children or grandchildren. Herma always had a pie on her counter for her guests, and she made the meals her grandchildren and guests wanted, even after diabetes limited what she could eat. She was active with a big garden and even walked beans after her knees were replaced. She was continually playing games with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and spending time with her sisters was special for her. Herma moved to Garner when Andrew entered the Concord Care Center. She lived at Cardinal Grove Assisted Living for a few years and then resided at the care center.

Herma was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brothers, Bill, Herman and Ted Vierkant; sisters, Sina Wenzel, Alice Dirks, Wilma Pals and Anna Nordman; and great-granddaughter, Sarah. She is survived by her children, Dean (Mary) Lauen of Clear Lake, Dianne (Marv) Josten of Garner, and Robert (Sandra) Lauen of Ventura; grandchildren, JoDeane (Scott) Hafermann of Goodell, Todd Lauen of Meservey, Anne (Michael) Balek of Mason City, Lynne (Brian) Bovenmyer of Garwin, Eric (Staci) Josten of Ankeny, Kimberly (Erik) Dorenkamp of Norwalk, Nicholas (Christelle) Lauen of Mason City; and great-grandchildren, Lyndsay, Jeffrey and Samantha Hafermann, Zachary and Cale Josten, Owen Bovenmyer and Ethan and Megan Dorenkamp.

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