Ione Dennler
Ione Dennler, 85, of Elgin, Iowa, died Monday, March 30, 2015, at St. Mary’s Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota. Borghild Ione, the daughter of William and Luella (Benson) Torkelson, was born September 21, 1929, on the family farm in Clayton County, Iowa. After Ione’s mother, Luella, passed away in 1934, she lived with her aunts and uncles until her father married Elsie Butikofer in 1938. Ione graduated from Elgin High School in 1947 and received her teacher certification from Upper Iowa College in Fayette. She taught in a country school near Volga, Iowa until she was united in marriage with Albert Lee Dennler on September 26, 1948, at the Highland Lutheran Church, rural Elkader, Iowa. Albert and Ione farmed southeast of Elgin for many years. After Albert’s death on November 30, 2010, Ione continued to live on the farm until 2013. She then moved to Stony Brook Village in West Union, Iowa.
Ione was a longtime member of Highland Lutheran Church and the Ladies Aid, the Good Neighbor Club, and the Elgin Historical Society. She was also very proud of her Norwegian heritage. Ione was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her family was very important to her and she loved spending time with them. She was an excellent cook and baker. She enjoyed gardening, buying things for her grandchildren at garage sales, especially Christmas trees and nativity scenes, and her Sunday afternoon drives with Al.
Ione is survived by her daughters, Kathy (Joel) Gabrielson of Story City, Iowa; Marcia (Larry) Miles of Elgin, Iowa; and Susan (Dan) Winter of West Union, Iowa; eight grandchildren, Sherri (Ron) Imoehl, Kristi (Jeff) Shoultz, Stephanie Ward, John Christopher (Jessica) Ward, Joseph Winter, Katelyn Winter, Jeff (Emilee) Gabrielson, and Sara (Shane) Tofteberg; eight great-grandchildren, Madison, Brennan, and Chase Imoehl; Jillian and Lauren Shoultz, Zachary Gabrielson, and Caroline and Vivian Ward; and two brothers, Sylvan (Mary) Torkelson and William Torkelson, both of Elgin, Iowa.
Ione was preceded in death by her husband, Albert and her sister, Amy Lou Olesen.
Visitation was Wednesday, April 1, 2015 from 4-7 p.m. at Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Elgin, Iowa and one hour before services at the church on Thursday.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2015, at Highland Lutheran Church, rural Elkader, Iowa with Rev. Jerome Godson as the officiant. Burial was at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2015, at Illyria Cemetery, rural Elgin, Iowa.
Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Elgin, Iowa assisted the family with the arrangements.