Anna Ruth Wenzel

HOFF FUNERAL AND CREMATION SERVICE - RUSHFORD, MINN. 507-864-7771 RUSHFORD, MINN. - Anna Ruth Wenzel, 89, of Rushford, Minn. died on Tuesday, December 21, 2010, at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Home in Rushford. Anna was born on October 7, 1921, in New Hartford Township, Minn. to William and Martha (Frauenkron) Heyer. She attended New Hartford School and then worked for the Williams Hotel in Winona, Minn. for many years. On June 12, 1943, Anna married Clarence Wenzel at Nodine Lutheran Church in Nodine, Minn. They made their home on a farm in Hart Township. Anna worked very hard alongside her husband as a great farm wife. She especially enjoyed raising chickens and selling eggs to her many customers. Anna worked at Schueler Mink Ranch in Rushford. She was a faithful member of St. John's Lutheran Church of Hart and the St. John's Ladies Aid. After selling their farm in 1977, Anna and Clarence moved to Lewiston, Minn. She worked at North Star Foods in St. Charles and also volunteered at Sauer Memorial Home in Winona, baking many dozens of cookies for the residents. Anna loved to go dancing with her girlfriends and also enjoyed her Caribbean Cruise, many bus trips and she really enjoyed her trip to Alaska with her niece. Anna was a very cheerful and generous friend to all. She made many friends at Good Shepherd Lutheran Home and enjoyed her nurses and her stay there. Anna is survived by her son, Wayne (Arlene) Wenzel of Rushford, Minn.; daughter Mary (James) Welch of Galesburg, Ill.; six grandchildren: Susan (Ron) Zeigler, Sheryl (Brian) Brunner, Steven (Lori) Hungerholt, Scott (Sheila) Wenzel, Nancy (Dan) Collins and Brian Welch; fifteen great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren; sisters: Gladys Schmitz of LaCrescent, Minn., Laura Rostad of Houston, Minn. and Alice Gady of LaCrescent, Minn.; brothers: William (Bill) Heyer of Belvidere, Ill. And Donald Heyer of Dakota, Minn.; and by several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence; parents; grandson, Stanton; brothers, Edward and Marvin; and sister, Wilma Halvorson. The funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 23, at St. John's Lutheran Church at Hart, Minn. with the Rev. Harold Hintzman officiating. Burial will be in the St. John's Lutheran Cemetery at Hart. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, at Hoff Funeral and Cremation Service in Rushford and one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the church. In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials to the Good Shepherd Lutheran Home or to St. John's Lutheran Church. Leave a memory of Anna, sign her online guestbook and view her tribute video when it becomes available at www.hofffuneral.com
Tribute video can be found at: videos.lifetributes.com/184263