ETHEL (HIEMSTRA) WEISS
Funeral services for Ethel L. Weiss, 85, of Spirit Lake, will be 10:30
A.M. Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in
Cherokee with Pastor Jim Steen officiating. Burial will be in the
Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Aurelia. Visitation will be Tuesday from 2:00
P.M. to 8:00 P.M., with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00, at the
Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia.
Ethel Laverna Bengtson was born on May 6, 1926, daughter of Amandus and
Esther (Johnson) Bengtson at Aurelia, IA. Ethel was baptized and
confirmed at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee. She attended
country school for eight years then four years at the Aurelia High
School, graduating in 1944. On December 15, 1946 Ethel was united in
marriage to Orville Hiemstra. They made their home on a farm at
Kingsley, Iowa and moved to Aurelia in 1963. Orville died on March 22,
1989. On September 21, 1995, Ethel married William Weiss. They made
their home at Spirit Lake, Iowa, where she attended Grace Lutheran
Church. Ethel enjoyed sewing, baking, gardening, playing cards, and
keeping in touch with her family and friends.
Ethel died Saturday, May 7, 2011, at her home in Spirit Lake.
Preceding Ethel in death were her parents,
two sisters; Lenora Bengtson and Marlyce Bergstrom, four brothers;
Clarence, Verner, Leonard, and Reuben Bengtson, and her husband Orville.
Survivors include her husband William Weiss
of Spirit Lake, two daughters; Shanda and her husband Larry Reilly of
Aurelia and Janilyn and her husband David Ohlaug of Brainerd, MN, and
three step-children; Greg and his wife Kathy Weiss of Mahopac, NY, Julie
and her husband Steve Schmidt of Spirit Lake, and Debra and her husband
Bill Wignall of Winterset, IA. Also surviving are seven grandchildren,
Tadd Reilly of Bowling Green, KY, Kasey Reilly and Kalli Reilly both of
Aurelia, Kari and husband Scott Faber of San Diego, CA, Brandon Ohlaug
of North Liberty, IA, and step-grandchildren Kristi and husband Mike
Bauerly of San Francisco, CA, and Amanda Weiss of Mahopac, NY, and two
great-grandchildren, Lynsee Ockerman and Tyson Faber. Also surviving are
one sister, Helen Thompson of Seal Beach, CA, one brother, Ronald and
wife Darlene Bengtson of Mesa, AZ, and six sisters-in-law; Marshea
Bengtson of Phoenix, AZ, Willie Lou Bengtson of Mesa, Frances Hiemstra
of Aurelia, Keith Hiemstra of Letcher, SD, Catherine Faulkon and Marie
Weiss both of Mason City, one brother-in-law Frank Weiss of Mason City,
IA, and other relatives and friends.
