Fern Behrends

Fern Martha Boseck Behrends passed away Tuesday evening, February 19, 2008 at her home at the Heritage House in Atlantic.

Fern was born near Griswold in Bear Grove Township, the third of ten children, to Christian Rudolph and Martha Hampel Boseck, on her mother's 25th birthday, March 31, 1914. She graduated from Atlantic High School at the age of 16. She married Bruno Behrends on December 2, 1934. They lived their first year of married life in a home directly south of Norway Center, and the next 53 years they resided on a farm 1½ miles south of Norway Center. In 1988, they moved to 502 Spruce in Atlantic where they resided before moving to the Heritage House in 2001.

She was a member of First Evangelical Lutheran Church, south of Wiota, where she was a member of the Ladies Aid and many enjoyable times were also spent with the Fun For All Club.

Fern's great loves in life were her sewing and hand work and quilt making, her flowers, and most of all, her family and friends. She loved a good laugh and was a wonderful story teller with a sweet and generous nature and will be remembered as a God-loving, joyous gal who loved and was loved by many.

Survivors include her beloved husband of 73 years, Bruno Behrends; a son, Robert (Suzanne) Behrends of The Villages, Florida; two daughters, Karene (Donald) Ridgley of Wildwood, Missouri and Shirley (Charles) Noecker of Lynn Center, Illinois; ten cherished grandchildren - Brett (Christine) Ridgley, Brenda Setlich, Steve Behrends, Beth May, Jay (Ellen) Noecker, Linda Grahlman, Kelly (Matt) McCunn, Kristin (Robert) Coers, Becky (David) Boucher, and Kerry (Mark) Krueger, and twenty-four treasured great grandchildren - Ryan, Kyle, Max, Jill, Aaron, Damien, Leanna, Alex, Brittany, Hannah, Nathan, Boseck (Bo), Gina, Mason, Adam, John, Kailey, Heather, Cole, Benjamin, Payton, Nathan, Emily, and Drew. Three sisters, Faye Ihnen of Wiota, Yvonne and husband Rob of Hutchinson, Kansas, and Evelyn and husband John Brown of Manhattan, Kansas survive her, along with many precious cousins, nieces and nephews. She is also survived by Debbie Thuelen, who adopted her as her special mom.

Fern was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Maurice and Ross Boseck, and four sisters, Loine Russell, Zoe Kay, Joanne Moll, and Jean in infancy.

Visitation with the family is scheduled at the Hockenberry Funeral Home in Atlantic from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 22.

The funeral service and burial will be held at First Evangelical Lutheran Church south of Wiota on Saturday, February 23 at 2:00 p.m. with Pastor Ted Weishaupt officiating. Carrying their grandmother to her place of rest will be her beloved grandchildren. In charge of flowers are Gib and Helen Schoenbohm and Bill and Sherry Freese.

A luncheon will follow the services in the church basement.

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