Lois Kommes

Lois Marie Bengard, the second of ten children of Lou C. and Annette (Juhl) Bengard was born January 26, 1920, on a farm south of Exira on the Audubon - Cass County line and passed away on Sunday, February 21, 2010, at the Exira Care Center in Exira, Iowa.

She received her religious training at the Exira Christian Church. She received her education in the Exira schools and graduated with the class of 1937.

After graduation, Lois worked as a secretary for the John K. Vande Brake Real Estate and the Iowa Public Service Company. She also worked at the P.A. Stone Department Store while she waited for her fiancé to return from WW II in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.

Lois was married to Harold "Tiny" Kommes on February 29, 1944, at Fort Warren, Cheyenne, Wyoming. The couple lived in Columbus, Georgia, and for a short time in Salina, Kansas. After Harold received his discharge papers, they returned to Exira to live the rest of their lives. They had the pleasure of raising their three week old niece to a young lady.

She is survived by the niece who she raised, Sue Heyne of Atlantic, Iowa; her brothers and sisters, Terry (Hazel) Bengard, Wanda Flathers and Vadis Jensen all of Exira, Iowa, and Jed Bengard of Dedham, Iowa; her other close nieces, Jerene Andersen of Conroe, Texas, and Pam Fowble of Brayton, Iowa; and many other nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, great-great-nieces and nephews, relatives and friends.

Lois is preceded in death by her husband, Harold; her parents; her brother, Juhl Larry Bengard; and sisters, Ila Mae Bengard, Jo Ellen Christensen, Maxine Bengard, and Elaine Kommes.

Per Lois's wishes, private services will be held. She will be buried beside her husband of 56 years, in the Atlantic Cemetery, Atlantic, Iowa.

Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, IA, is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.hockenberryfamilycare.com.