Edna Steen

Edna was born October 30, 1918, on a farm near Cushing, Iowa, to Herman and Christina Clausen Wiese. She was the second of six children. Edna attended country schools in Cushing. Edna met a handsome and ambitious young man named Lawrence Steen. Edna and Lawrence loved to dance and were married on October 5, 1938, at the Lutheran parsonage in Sioux City, Iowa. She and Lawrence farmed in the Cushing and Holstein areas for several years.

On July 20, 1955, Edna was widowed at 36 with 6 daughters to raise by herself. Edna was asked by many why she never remarried and her answer was always that she "didn't want someone else telling her how to raise her kids." Indeed, she was a liberated woman before her time! She worked several jobs at a time to provide for her family. Some of those jobs included working in the Holstein school lunchroom, being a telephone operator at the Holstein Telephone Company and performing various duties at the Food Locker Service, where she was employed for 15 years.

In May, 1977, Edna moved from Holstein to Spokane, Washington, where she was employed by Safeway Stores. In July, 1978, Edna moved to Des Moines with her three youngest daughters. She worked for Dietary at Iowa Methodist Hospital for 10 years, retiring at 70. Edna's fondest achievement in life was making a home and caring for her daughters. Her love and devotion was an inspiration to all who knew her. She was a strong, spirited woman with a beautiful soul. Edna had a wonderful sense of humor and she never met a stranger. Edna's faith was constant and strong. She was baptized on August 22, 1919, and confirmed at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Holstein in 1949. Edna was a long-time member of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Holstein, and was currently a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Des Moines.

She was proud of her German heritage. Edna enjoyed playing cards, reading, crocheting, baking, cooking, dancing, traveling, doing word-find and crossword puzzles, listening to Lawrence Welk and polka music. Edna could bake like nobody's business and her mind was sharp as a tack. She loved politics and the Iowa Hawkeyes, having been a season football ticket holder for years. Edna was preceded in death by her parents Herman and Christina Wiese; her husband Lawrence; two sisters, Hermina Wiese and Luella Beers; brother Alvin Wiese; sisters-in-law, Eva Wiese and Gladys Steen; brothers-in-law, Melvin Beers, Jack Rochau, Eldon Steen and Vernon Iwen.

Those who remain to cherish her memory are her six daughters, Dolores (John) Johnson, Cushing, Iowa, Janice (E. Joe) Lundsgaard, Cherokee, Iowa, Donna Steen, Spokane Valley, Washington, Constance (Connie) Steen, Des Moines, Iowa, Cathy Steen-Gnade (Paul), Mountain View, Arkansas, and Vickie Steen, Mountain View, Arkansas; nine grandchildren: Johnnie (Linda) Johnson, Jimmie Johnson, Julie (Barry) Enockson, Jeff (Lisa) Johnson, Greta (Jeff) Vaughn, Joe (Amy) Lundsgaard, Sydney (Trevor) Mott, Elyse and Norah Gnade; eight great grandchildren: Ashley (Dustin) Schlenger, Tonya Johnson, Erin and Eric Johnson, Ella and Ingrid Vaughn, Jackson and Taylor Mott; and three great-great grandchildren: Ember, Ayden and Tinley Schlenger; sister Lorraine Rochau and brother Eldon Wiese; sister-in-law Sylvia Iwen and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Edna lived a long life, but it wasn't long enough for those who loved her. Her memory will remain in our hearts forever. Edna's family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the tremendous care she received from Dr. Louis Schneider and Dr. Mark Westberg and his staff at Medical Oncology. Memorial contributions may be directed to the family.