Louise Mae Chehak

Louise Mae (Sornson) Chehak was born March 28, 1935, in Colorado Springs, Colorado and died September 9, 2014, at the Friendship Home in Audubon, Iowa at the age of 79 years, 5 months, and 11 days. Louise was adopted by Raymond and Mayme (Peterson) Sornson shortly after birth and became part of their family living west of Exira, IA. In March of 1937 the family moved to Viola Township. Louise attended the Viola School graduating with the High School Class of 1953. During High School Louise played on the basketball team, and even though she was very petite, she was a quick and excellent guard.
Louise moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where she was employed by Farm Bureau. There, through her roommate, she met Donald Chehak, her future husband. Don worked for the Internal Revenue Service. Don was transferred to Washington D.C. and on July 11, 1956, they were united in marriage. They lived in Washington D.C. for two years. Don’s work with the IRS took them to New York, NY for one year, Chicago, Illinois for four years, finally settling in Atlanta, Georgia where they lived for over 30 years. While living in Atlanta, Louise was employed as a legal secretary for McReynolds and Boyd and worked there for over 30 years before she retired. They had two very special dogs, Yankee and Zhivago. Louise and Don enjoyed traveling and visited all the states except Alaska and Hawaii. Don died January 8, 1991. Louise moved to Lake View, Iowa. During the cold winter months she enjoyed traveling to Weslaco, Texas. Later she moved to Audubon to be "home" and near family. She enjoyed her home then, following a stroke, she became a resident of the Friendship Home in Audubon for 15 years, where she developed a special relationship with her many caregivers.
Louise was a member of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Audubon and was a member of the Women’s Circle and the Bible Study. Her hobbies included needlepoint, knitting and crocheting, creating a great number of beautiful pieces. She was very dear to her family, who knew her to be a loving, gentle and quiet person, and her visits back to Iowa were always special times.
Louise was preceded in death by her husband Donald: her parents Raymond and Mae Sornson: and her sister-in-law Rilla Sornson.
Survivors include her three brothers and their wives, Robert and Elaine Sornson of Audubon, Iowa, Charles and Kathy Sornson of Alamo, Texas, and John and Lou Ann Sornson of Warsaw, Missouri; her sister-in-law Carolyn Gress; her stepson and his wife Donald and Ginnie Chehak and family; nieces and nephews and their spouses, Judy (Sornson) and Richard Baker, Paul and Deb Sornson, Greg Sornson, Jane (Sornson) and Robert Weber, Mike Sornson and fiancé Deb Fenton, Mark and Peggy Sornson, Chelle (Sornson) and Jeff Madsen, Teresa (Sornson) and Ted Somal, Tina (Sornson) and John Horan, Jerad and Susanne Sornson, Alyssa Greedy, and Layne and Melissa Greedy; her great and great-great nieces and nephews; other relatives and many special friends.