Evelyn Woerdehoff, 91, of Wall Lake passed away on Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at Twilight Acres Nursing Home in Wall Lake, Iowa.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 21, 2014 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wall Lake. The Celebrant will be Fr. John McGuirk, assisted by Deacon Butch Stone. Music will be by Sue Mein and the St. Joseph’s Choir, with special music by Evelyn’s daughter Lanette Schafer, and Evelyn’s grandson Andy Woerdehoff. Mass servers will be Evelyn’s great grandchildren: Austin Woerdehoff and Brooke Woerdehoff. Lectors will be Evelyn’s granddaughters Sharon Martin, and Becky Hennen. Gift Bearers will be Evelyn’s granddaughters: Kristy Emmons, Angie Schreck, Suzie Schafer, Jill Wunschel, Kenzie Harder, Alison Schmitz, Madigan Maere, and Veronica Maere. Eucharistic Ministers will be Evelyn’s children: Donna Schafer and Arlan Woerdehoff. Casket Bearers will be Evelyn’s grandsons: Andy Woerdehoff, Daniel Woerdehoff, Jesse Woerdehoff, Ryan Woerdehoff, Chris Woerdehoff, Tom Poen, Mike Poen, Scott Poen, and Jeremy Wunschel. Burial will be at 1 p.m. at St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Breda.
Visitation will be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wall Lake from 3-6 p.m., on Sunday where a Rosary will be prayed at 3:30 p.m., and a Christian Wake Service will be held at 5 p.m.
The casket will be moved to the church at 9:30 a.m. Monday morning, where visitation will resume until the time of the funeral mass.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Breda, and condolences may be left for the family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Evelyn Ameliana Ricke was born on December 21, 1922, in Carroll, the daughter of Ben and Agnes (Coon) Ricke. She grew up on their family farm northwest of Breda, and graduated from St. Bernard Catholic High School in 1940. On November 26, 1943 she was united in marriage to Arthur Woerdehoff at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Breda. Art and Evelyn were blessed with six children, as they made their home and farmed together northwest of Breda. Eventually they made their home in Wall Lake while continuing to farm. In 1966 they bought the Lakewood Ballroom in Lake View, and operated that while also farming until the ballroom burned down in 1980. For 14 years they worked hard doing both farming and operating the ballroom. Evelyn spent many evenings cooking in the kitchen turning out hundreds of meals nightly. She was very well known for her Roquefort Dressing and her famous Fried Chicken which drew customers for miles around. During their ballroom years they also formed a group called the “POLKA DOTS”. This group performed at many dances and street parades throughout northwest Iowa. Evelyn’s favorite pass time was dancing and of course her favorite partner was her husband Arthur. After the ballroom burned down in 1980, Evelyn and Art became avid card players playing in Euchre games and tournaments in the local area. After Art passed away in 2006, Evelyn continued to live alone until she moved to Twilight Acres Nursing home in August of 2011. In Twilight Acres she became very well known as having a great sense of humor, and enjoyed playing cards and doing crafts with other residents. Evelyn was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wall Lake.
She is survived by 5 children: Arlan (Barb) Woerdehoff of Lake View, Lanette (Ron) Schafer of
Panora, Marty (Sherri) Woerdehoff of Wall Lake, Donna (Chris) Schafer of Adair, and Kate (Bart) Maere of Panora; 19 grandchildren, and 32 great grandchildren. A son, Ronald, died suddenly in 1993 at the age of 42. Ronald’s wife Deb lives in Lake View and is the wife of Dean Tiefenthaler.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband Art, a son Ronald Woerdehoff, a great grandson, Alec Woerdehoff, her parents, Ben and Agnes Ricke, sisters: LaVerna and Lila, and a son-in-law Wayne Poen.
