Mary Lou Blaschke
Mary Lou Blaschke, 82, of Sumner died Saturday evening, January 27, 2024 at Copper Creek Senior Living in West Union. Funeral services were held Saturday, February 3 at St. John Lutheran Church in Sumner with Rev. Tracy Hinkel officiating. Burial followed at Union Mound Cemetery in Sumner.
Memorials may be made in Mary Lou’s name to St. John Lutheran Church or SEMS, both in Sumner. Becker & Son Funeral Home in Sumner assisted Mary Lou’s family. Online condolences may be left at www.beckermilnesrettig.com.
Mary Lou, daughter of Louie and Nellie (Biermann) Wedemeier, was born March 22, 1941 at the family’s home, rural Tripoli. She was baptized April 20, 1941 at St. Peter’s Evangelical and Reformed (now Faith United Church of Christ) in Tripoli and confirmed April 3, 1955 at St. John Lutheran Church in Sumner. Mary Lou received her education in the Sumner Schools and graduated from Sumner High School in 1958.
August 17, 1958, she was united in marriage with Orville Blaschke at St. John Lutheran Church. To this union three daughters were born, Bonnie, Becky and Barb. Mary Lou worked for the Sumner School System as a bus driver for several years, prior to working at Upper Iowa University in Fayette for over fifteen years, retiring in 2002. Following her retirement from Upper Iowa, Mary Lou worked at Meadowbrook Country Club in Sumner as the head cook.
Mary Lou was a longtime active member of St. John Lutheran Church in Sumner. She enjoyed playing games, quilting, baking, her outings with her special friends, playing cards, and was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan. Mary Lou had many things that brought her joy, but her greatest joy was the time she spent with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and she thoroughly enjoyed attending their various activities.
Mary Lou is survived by her three daughters, Bonnie (Del) Bergmann and Becky (Doug) Johnson, both of Sumner, and Barb (Craig) Lensing of Waukon; five grandchildren (who referred to Mary Lou as “granny”), Kayla (Ryan) Tucker of Denver, Alyssa (Blaine) Henderson of Grimes, Ryan (Jennifer) Bergmann of Creston, and Meredith (Ryan Rask) and Jaedyn (Harley O’Hare) Lensing, both of Waukon; five great-grandchildren, Colby and Griffin Tucker, Jaxlyn and Alexia Bergmann, and Hayden Henderson; and her brothers, Willard Wedemeier of Cedar Falls and Roger (Elaine) Wedemeier of Sumner.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Orville, May 31, 1989; her brothers, Romaine and Duane (Phyllis) Wedemeier; her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Mae and Herb Blaschke; and her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Harold and Rose Blaschke, Arthur and Marion Blaschke, LaVern and Mary Lu Blaschke, and Verla Wedemeier; and her nephew, Steve Wedemeier.
