Doris Lemke

Doris Neva Griffith Lemke was the daughter of Ernest and Faye (Nelson) Griffith. She was born April 21, 1920, in Guthrie Center, Iowa, and passed away November 19, 2012, at Panora Nursing and Rehab in Panora, Iowa.

Her mother, Faye, passed away three weeks after Doris was born. Carrie (Griffith) and Frank Armstrong raised Doris as their foster daughter. They lived at Bear Grove.

Doris married Veryl Lemke June 22, 1938, in Maryville, MO. They had seven children; Marvin, Elwyn, Werdna, Wanitta, Dennis, Dwaine and Phyllis. They made their home 1 ½ miles from where she was raised. They started with very little but worked hard, building a homestead. She loved the farm. They milked cows, raised chickens, pigs, and sold eggs. By saving from this, in 1949 they were able to build their new home. Her home was her pride and joy. She was always cleaning and making things look neat. Her cooking was fabulous. Several enjoyed the pies, cinnamon rolls, donuts and noodles, all made from scratch.

Doris worked at Randolphs, made bowling pins, and ran a restaurant for a short time in Guthrie. She sorted corn at Garst, worked at the New Homestead, and also worked for Guthrie Center Assembly doing bolt and sandpaper piece work.

In July 1982, Doris lost her husband. Doris and her youngest daughter, Phyllis, took on the task of running the farm. They had crops, raised cattle and ran a Grade A dairy for 14 years. Due to some family members she was made to leave the farm, which broke her heart. She then moved to Adair, Iowa, in March of 1996. Even as the years went by her thoughts were always of the home on the farm.

Preceding Doris in death were her mother and father, Faye and Ernest Griffith; her foster parents, Frank and Carrie Armstrong; her husband, Veryl E. Lemke; her siblings, LeMoine, Raymond, Wayne, Jessie, Bessie and Whylie Griffith; and her foster siblings, Florence Hayes and Leo and Roy Armstrong.

Surviving Doris are her seven children, Marvin (Lois) Lemke of Guthrie Center, Elwyn (Phyllis) Lemke of Guthrie Center, Werdna (Roy) Rumelhart of Guthrie Center, Wanitta Hick and Mike Schroeder of Perry, Dennis (Debbie) Lemke of Adair, Dwaine (Cheryl) Lemke of Decorah and Phyllis Lemke of Adair; 16 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Visitation with family will be from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m., Friday, November 23, 2012, at Hockenberry Funeral Home in Adair.

The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 24, 2012, at the Community Centre in Adair, Iowa. Burial will be in Sunnyhill Cemetery, Adair, Iowa

Hockenberry Family Care in Adair, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.