MonnaLou (Bente) Weidler was born October 13, 1923 near Elkader, Iowa. She was the daughter of Samuel and Paula (Boege) Bente. At the age of eight, she was placed in the Lutheran Orphans Home (now Bremwood) in Waverly, Iowa, where she lived for ten years. She was baptized at the Home on January 31, 1932 by Pastor Emil Rausch. She was confirmed in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Waverly, by Pastor Schlueter on March 26, 1939. She attended elementary school at the Home and Waverly High School. At the age of eighteen, she left the Home and went to LeCenter, Minnesota, where she was employed by a dentist and his wife as a hired girl. She moved back to the Rieckenburg family farm in Western Douglas Township of Bremer County, to help with the family. She completed high school with a G.E.D. Diploma in 1978. MonnaLou was united in marriage with Virgil Weidler on October 19, 1944 at St. John’s Lutheran Church (Western Douglas) by Pastor G. Steege. To this union six children were born. After Virgil’s return from the Marine Corps during World War II, she lived on farms where he was employed. In 1950, she moved to Tripoli, Iowa, which has been her hometown ever since. She was employed by Tripoli Community Schools as a custodian for twenty-five years and also as a custodian for Grace Lutheran Church in Tripoli.
MonnaLou’s death occurred Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at her home in Tripoli, after a lengthy illness. She was eighty-five years old. MonnaLou was a member of Grace Lutheran Church. She served in many offices of the Women’s Group, sang in the choir, and was a bell ringer for the first bell choir. She taught Sunday School, Bible School, directed Sunday School Music and the Junior Choir. She was also an avid quilter.
MonnaLou is survived by her husband, Virgil, of Tripoli; five sons, Dennis (Sharlene) Weidler of Waverly; Alan Weidler of Prescott Valley, Arizona; Lorin Weidler of Waterloo, Iowa; Marlin (Beverly) Weidler of Olathe, Kansas; and Dale Weidler of Tripoli; one daughter, Catherine (Dana) Loney of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin; twenty-three grandchildren; many great grandchildren; two sisters, Jeanne Peterka of Caledonia, Wisconsin; and Mildred (Everett) Kennedy of Manchester, Iowa; one half-brother, Irvin Davies of McGregor, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.
MonnaLou was preceded in death by one grandson, Michael Weidler; her parents; two brothers, Huron Bente and Chester Bente; and one half-brother, Frank Davies.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, May 11, 2009 at Grace Lutheran Church, Tripoli, Iowa conducted by Rev. Miles Renaas and Rev. Amy Strydom. Inurnment will be held at Grace Lutheran Cemetery, Tripoli at a later date. Friends may call from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Sunday, May 10, 2009 at Rettig Funeral Home in Tripoli and one hour before services at Grace Lutheran Church on Monday.
Memorials may be directed to Bremwood Auxiliary: Lutheran Services in Iowa; Bremwood Campus, in Waverly, Iowa or to the Grace Lutheran Church Sunday School in Tripoli, Iowa. The Bremwood Auxiliary is using memorials for a stained glass window in the new chapel on campus.
