Elda
Elda Riekena
d. March 25, 2009
Elda Vey Riekena,
82, of Grundy Center, died from natural causes on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa. Elda Vey was born June 4, 1926 in Colfax Township, Rural Wellsburg, daughter of Asa and Dena (Kruse) Slifer. She attended rural school in Grundy County then graduated from Grundy Center High School in 1944. Elda Vey taught school in rural Grundy County for three years and was married to Calvin Riebkes in 1946. They later divorced and on September 22, 1961 she was united in marriage to Willard Riekena in Austin, Minnesota. Elda Vey and Willard made their home in Hampton, Iowa where she worked as a Nurse’s Aid for fifteen years at the Franklin General Hospital and the Hampton Care Center. She had also operated a café in Hampton for a short time. She returned to Grundy Center in 1995 and has spent the last few years at the Grundy County Memorial Hospital Long Term Care Unit. She was a member of Colfax Center Presbyterian Church and the AMVETS Auxiliary. She enjoyed crocheting, fishing, cooking and canning when she was able, and more recently participating in the activities at Long Term Care and spending time with her family.
She is survived by her children, Robert Ray (Vicky) Riebkes of Latimer, Donita Faye (Larry) Phelps of Grundy Center, and Colleen Kaye (Chris) Hansen of Moline, Illinois; grandchildren, John, Martin, Betsy and Chris Poley, Lori Tiffany, Mike Davis, Nichole Hansen, and Randall Riebkes; great grandchildren, Landon, Jackson, and Austin Poley, and Jeff and Joey Tiffany; sisters-in-law, Frances Slifer and Arlene Junker of Wellsburg; and by three nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Willard on August 14, 2000; her parents, Asa and Dena; brothers, Ivan and Rollie Slifer; and by one nephew.
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