Obituary
Koht, Elliott Rodney “Rod” 87, passed away March 15, 2011 at Friendship Village in Tempe, Ariz. He was born June 18, 1923, in Reinbeck Iowa to Elliott Fred and Iva Green Koht. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a weather reporter during WWII in Northern Africa. Rod graduated from Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. After the war in 1946, he married Helen Davis of Hudson, Iowa. They moved from Iowa to Colorado Springs, Colo. in 1948. He worked for Western Horseman Magazine for 35 years and retired as General Manager in 1984. In 2007, Rod moved to Tempe, Ariz. He was an avid golfer playing at courses all over the country. He is survived in life by his daughters Kathleen (Don) McMichael of Denver, Colo. and Nancy (Bill) Johnson of Mesa, Ariz. He is also survived by 5 grandchildren Kelly (Jeff) Oxley, Darren (Linda) McMichael of Denver, Colo.; Amy (Chad) Turner of Buckeye, Ariz., Ryan (Nicole) Johnson of Gilbert, Ariz., Sally (Justin) Moore of Goodyear, Ariz. and 7 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife and brother, Art Koht. Rod also has one surviving sister-in-law, Jean Koht of Ariz. A memorial service will be held in July at Memorial Gardens Mortuary and Cemetery, 3825 Airport Rd., Colorado Springs, Colo. Donations may be made in Rod’s name to Friendship Village Tempe, Attn: Employee Appreciation Fund, 2645 E. Southern Ave., Tempe, AZ 85282.
Obituary
Wilma B. Mennenga, 89, of Reinbeck, Iowa, died Monday, May 9, 2011, at Covenant Medical Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa. Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 12, 2011, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Reinbeck with Pastor Bruce Boyce officiating. Burial followed at the Reinbeck Cemetery in Reinbeck. Visitation was held Wednesday, May 11, 2011, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. with the family present to greet friends at French Hand Funeral Home in Reinbeck. A memorial fund has been established. To view the complete obituary or to send messages of condolence, please visit www.abelsfuneralhomes.com.
Wilma Bernice was born November 5, 1921 in Marcus, Iowa, the daughter of John and Minnie (Backhaus) Steffen. She grew up in the rural Cherokee area of her birth and attended school there until moving to Reinbeck in 1936 to live with her Grandma Saak after her grandpa died. She graduated from Reinbeck High School with the class of 1939.
On April 3, 1943, at the Lutheran Church, in Louisville, Ky., she was united in marriage to PFC Walter Mennenga. After their marriage they lived in the Kentucky area before moving to the Reinbeck area. They welcomed three children to their family Gordon, Sandra and Gary. She enjoyed cooking, gardening and traveling. She was very well accomplished seamstress. Wilma enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She was a member of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Reinbeck.
Surviving are her husband, Walter of Reinbeck; three children, Gordon (Lynn) Mennenga of Iowa City, Sandra Stark of Waterloo and Gary (Kathy) Mennenga of Fairfield, Idaho; 6 grandchildren, Todd, Kate, Andrew, Jorden, Amanda, Cody; 3 great- grandchildren; a sister, Lorna (Clarion) Lofte of Des Moines. and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
She is preceded in death by her parents (John and Minnie Steffen), two brothers, Lyle and Kenneth; two sisters, Lucile and Lamerne.