Irmena E. Wietharn

Irmena E. Wietharn, 95, Seneca, died Monday, February 20, 2006, at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca.
     She was born November 4, 1910, on a farm north of Seneca, the daughter of William M. and Elizabeth Hulsing Rettele. Irmena started school at Sts. Peter & Paul School in Seneca and continued at St. Bede’s School at Kelly after her family moved to a farm north of Kelly when she was in second grade. As a young woman, she helped in homes doing domestic work and childcare for newborns.
     On March 4, 1930, she married Edwin H. Wietharn at St. Bede’s Church at Kelly. They farmed east of Baileyville for 39 years. In December of 1968 they retired and moved to Seneca. She worked with her husband, Ed, in the projection room at the Seneca Theater for several years. Ed died December 2, 1975.
     She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church, St. Ann’s Altar Society, the quilting group, and the choir for many years. She was also a member of the LCBA, the Courage & Support Group, the Bizzie Bee Club, the Happy Hours Pitch Club, the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital Guild, and bridge clubs. She always had a large garden and flowers around her home. Irmena made many quilts for her family and until recently could be seen riding her bicycle around Seneca.
     Survivors are eight sons; Galen of Clay Center, Donald and Marion of Topeka, Albert of Arvada, CO, William of Kansas City, MO, Lynn of Bradenton, FL, Keith of Chicago, IL, and Max of Los Altos, CA; six daughters, Phyllis Burger of Summerfield, Deanna Heideman, Mary Jane Niehaus, Gerriann Lierz, all of Topeka, Sue Wassenberg of Livingston, TX, and Darlene Slattery of Birmingham, AL; a brother, Wilfred Rettele of Lansing; four sisters, Aurelia Heinen, Ali Rose Winterscheidt, Betty Altenhofen, all of Seneca, and Dorothy Kohake Feichtinger of Johnson, NE; 34 grandchildren, 54 great grandchildren, 4 step grandchildren, and 4 step-great-grandchildren.
     Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by four brothers, Ignatius, Matthias, Anthony, and William Rettele; two sisters, Edith Bjelland and Marcella Mathewson; and a granddaughter.
     Mass of Christian burial will be 10 AM Friday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. The burial will be in the church cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at 2 and 7 PM Thursday at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca, where she will lie in state after 10:30 AM Thursday.
     Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & Paul Church or the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, and sent in care of the family.