Edna C. Rodehorst

Edna C. Rodehorst, 96, Linn, KS, died Wednesday, January 4, 2017, at the Linn Community Nursing Home, Linn, KS, four days short of her 97th birthday. Visitation was 4:00 to 8:00 PM, Friday, January 6, at the Ward Funeral Home in Linn, KS. The family received friends from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Her funeral was held at 3:00 PM, Saturday, January 7, at Zion Lutheran Church in Linn, KS, with Rev. David Gruoner officiating. Eunice Beier played the organ with the congregation singing, “Jesus, Lead Thou On”, “In the Garden”, “The Lamb”, and “Abide with Me.” Pallbearers were each of her eight grandsons: Jared Meier, Kevin Hartman, Eric Winter, Aaron Rodehorst, Evan Meier, Ethan Rodehorst, Casey Winter, and Alex Winter. Burial was in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Linn, Kansas. Edna was born on January 8, 1920, in Strawberry Township, daughter of Frank and Clara (Kuhlman) Wilkens. On January 11, 1920, she was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church by Rev. Paul Stolp. On March 25, 1934, she was confirmed in the Lutheran faith in which she was faithful all of her life. Edna attended Immanuel Lutheran School. At 14, Edna wanted to attend high school, but she was a child of her time and was not able to pursue her education further as she was needed at home. However, education was always a priority for Edna and she encouraged her children and grandchildren to earn whatever education they wanted to pursue which they all did including high school diplomas, vocational trainings, and university degrees. On October 13, 1946, she was united in marriage to Albert Rodehorst at Immanuel Lutheran Church. Rev. Otto Praeuner officiated. Her wedding day was celebrated at her family farm south of Immanuel Lutheran Church. It was a rainy day which, as she recalled, was a “muddy mess”, but it was also a day that was centered on their faith, their families, and their friends. The focus of their wedding day lead to the focus of their marriage, which for 70 years, was a life that was guided by their faith and centered on their family. Their marriage was blessed with four children: Mary, Deanna, Joyce, and Richard who continue to live their marriages by the same tenants: a unified life guided by faith and centered on family. Edna’s faith and family were the center of her life and she delighted in the comforts of home. Although she did work outside of the home serving as seamstress, a substitute cook for Linn Rural High School, and as a nurse’s aide at The Homestead in Washington, KS, and Linn Community Nursing Home in Linn, KS, her greatest joy was to serve her family as a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She lived her life teaching her children and grandchildren to do their best, no matter the challenges they may face and to be humble and gracious, no matter the successes they may achieve. Edna’s comforts of home included her ability to use her creative talents in all areas of her life. She was a master gardener who devoted her entire backyard to that endeavor. Her vegetable gardens were intricate mazes of a variety of seasonal vegetables planned and plotted to give the best yields possible. Just as she was gifted at getting the best out of her children, Edna knew how to get the best out of her garden. Her little garden grew and fed her and her extended family and whoever was willing to stop by and buy a little for their families. When the harvest was done, she was a student in the science of canning and she spent many hours filling many a Mason jar with her summer harvest to be enjoyed on a cold, winter day. She shared her canning results with her family and was delighted to know what her families’ favorites were. Whatever space was left in her yard, she devoted to her affinity for flower gardening and she used her artistic eye to fill the outside of her little yellow home with the big front porch in a bevy of colors and designs while the inside of her home with the back porch windows were filled with African violets in shades of red, purple, and pink. Aside from her joy in growing things, she also used her creative abilities to make things. She was a master at sewing and shared her talents with the Linn Livewires 4-H club as a clothing leader where she taught others how to sew and more importantly, as she said, “how not to sew”. Whether it was creating a hand-crafted crocheted angel, finishing a 1000 piece puzzle for Bert to frame with one of his creations, or engineering a new way to repurpose an old item, Edna never sat idle. For almost 97 years, she loved her faith, her family, and her home. Preceding her in death were her parents; step-mother, Emma (Koerner) Wilkens; sisters, Elda Wilkens and Paula Jenkins, and brothers, Emil Wilkens and Elden Wilkens. She is survived by her husband, Albert; children, Mary (Jim) Hartman, Clifton, Deanna (Steve) Meier, Palmer, Joyce (Greg) Winter, Palmer, and Richard (Dinah) Rodehorst, Downs; sisters-in-law, Catherine (Kate) Wilkens, Bernice Wilkens; 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. A memorial fund has been established and will be designated later. Contributions may be sent in care of Ward Funeral Home, P.O. Box 157, Washington, KS 66968. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Edna C. Rodehorst, please visit our flower store.