Carmen Wehrspann

Carmen Wehrspann, age 97, of Spirit Lake, passed away Monday, January 6, 2014 at Hilltop Care Center. Funeral services will be 11 am, Saturday, January 11, 2014 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake. Visitation will begin at 9 am Saturday morning until service time at the church. Interment will be at Memory Gardens in Spirit Lake. Carmen Mathilda Margaretha (Hesse) Wehrspann the daughter of Lillie Olga (Hinz) Hesse and Henry Ernest Hesse was born on April 6, 1916 in rural Lu Verne, Iowa. Carmen was baptized at her maternal grandparents home on April 17, 1916. Carmen's parents separated when she was about 5 years old. While her mother sought employment to support her young children, Carmen and her younger brother Norman lived with their Hinz grandparents during their childhood years. Carmen attended Zion Lutheran School in Lu Verne through 8th grade. On March 31, 1929 (Easter) she was confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Lu Verne. She attended and graduated from Lu Verne High School in May 1933. She worked in a grocery store in Lu Verne and later joined her mother in Des Moines where they worked at the Krumble Hamburg Shop and then later in her mother's cafe Peggy's Lunch in 1937. In 1939 she returned home to join her mother and brother for the first time in her memory as a family with a parent. Those were joyful days, Carmen related. On October 5, 1941, Carmen was united in marriage to Elmer John Wehrspann in Lu Verne, Iowa. To this blessed union, three children were born: Mark, Rhoda and Dan. Elmer and Carmen lived in Kingsley, Iowa where he served as pastor for the First Lutheran Church from 1938 1949. In 1949 they moved to Aurelia, Iowa where he served the St Paul Lutheran Church until 1978. They both then moved to Spirit Lake to make their home during their retirement years. Carmen enjoyed a long life even after her husband died in 1998. She lived in the Sunset apartments, WelLife and Hilltop Care Center. Carmen enjoyed reading, sewing, translating German, Bible study, gardening and good conversation. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Spirit Lake, IA in her retirement years. She was active in LWML, Meals on Wheels, Lamp Lighters, Altar Guild, World Relief quilting, wherever she could serve the Lord. In the community she volunteered for the Voluntary Action Center and Iowa Lakes Community College ABE/ Literacy tutoring. Left to cherish her memory are her children: Sons: Mark (Judy) of Milford, IA and Dan (Karina) of Portland, OR Daughter: Rhoda (Larry) Baldwin of Jesup, IA. Grandchildren: Ben (Becky) Wehrspann, Sarah (Tyler) Teske, Noah (Amanda) Wehrspann, Scott (Jaime) Baldwin, Mark Baldwin, Luke (Carrie) Baldwin, David Baldwin, Micah (Carrie) Wehrspann and Kristi (Clarence) Maeng and 16 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her daughterinlaw Lin Wehrspann, her brother Norman, brotherinlaws Raymond, Donald, Leo Wehrspann, sisterinlaws Barbara Hesse, Viola, Virginia, Verna, Bernadine, and Helen Wehrspann. And, if Carmen were able to bid you farewell, friends, this is what she was known to say, "and if we don't see each other again on earth, I'll see you in heaven."