BORN JANUARY 27, 1933 CARROLL, IOWA
DIED NOVEMBER 7, 1989 IOWA METHODIST MEDICAL CENTER, DES MOINES, IOWA
AGE 56 YEARS, 9 MONTHS, AND 11 DAYS
THE RITE OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1989, 2:00 PM SACRED HEART CHURCH, MANNING, IOWA
REVEREND FATHER RALPH REINHART, CELEBRANT
MUSIC SACRED HEART CHOIR
INTERMENT SACRED HEART CEMETERY, MANNING, IOWA
CASKETBEARERS: MARVIN WITTROCK, TOM ROHE, DOUG STURM, DALE WITTROCK, GARY BEHRENS, RONNIE WITTROCK
VIGIL RITES THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1989 OHDE FUNERAL HOME, MANNING, IOWA
ROSARIES, 4:00 & 7:30 PM
MEMORIAL SERVICE, 8:00 PM BY REVEREND DAVE OSTENDORF

THE FAMILY WISHES TO EXPRESS THEIR GRATITUDE FOR YOUR KINDNESS EVIDENCED IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED, AND INVITES YOU TO JOIN THEM FOR LUNCH AND FELLOWSHIP AT THE CHURCH FOLLOWING THE COMMITTAL SERVICE

LAURA E. JOENS
Funeral services for Laura E. Joens were held Friday, November 10, 1989, at 2:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Manning, Iowa. Reverend Father Ralph Reinhard officiated the service with music provided by Sacred Heart Choir. Interment was in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Manning, Iowa, with Marvin Wittrock, Dale Wittrock, Tom Rohe, Gary Behrens, Doug Sturm, and Ronnie Wittrock as casket-bearers. Vigil rites were held Thursday, November 9, 1989, at Ohde Funeral Home in Manning. Rosaries were held at 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Memorial Service was held at 8:00 p.m. by Reverend Dave Ostendorf.

Laura, daughter of August and Ella (Drees) Wittrock, was born January 27, 1933, at Carroll, Iowa. The family made their home on a farm near Halbur, Iowa where Laura was educated at St. Augustine School through the 8th grade. She completed high school through the GED program in Manning in the late 1970s.

September 5, 1960, Laura was united in marriage with Lester Joens. Four children, Deanne, Tonya, Jeff, and Brian, were born to this union. They made their home on a farm southeast of Manning.

During the farm crisis of the 1980s Laura became active in the Rural Life Coalition, now known as Prairie Fire.

She traveled to New York City where she appeared on the CBS program, Nightline; she spoke at Morningside College in Sioux City on farm problems, and shared her experiences with church groups in Des Moines and with other groups in the state.

Laura was employed outside her home for three years at Places Department Store in Audubon. She was active in community affairs, serving as a girl scout leader and as a member of the American Legion and VFW auxiliaries.

Laura was a member of the Sacred Heart Parish in Manning and of the Catholic Daughters and the Altar and Rosary Society. She also gave her time as a CCD teacher.

Since December of 1988 Laura had been in failing health, ill with cancer. She died early Tuesday morning, November 7, 1989, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines at the age of 56 years, 9 months and 11 days.

She was preceded in death by her parents; by a brother Marvin Wittrock during World War II in the Philippines; and by two sisters, Bertila Rohe and Freda Wittrock.

Laura is survived by her husband, Lester, of Manning; by four children: Deanne and her husband, Randy Mundt, of Des Moines; Tonya Joens, of Des Moines; Jeff Joens, of Manning; and Brian Joens, of Manning; by one granddaughter, Erica Mundt; by the following brothers and sisters: Walter Wittrock and his wife, LaVerne, of Halbur; Beatrice and her husband, John Behrens, of Carroll; Mildred and her husband, Eddie Sturm, of Carroll; Earl Wittrock and his wife, Vernell, of Carroll; and Vic Wittrock and his wife, Darlene, of Halbur; by a brother-in-law, Norbert Rohe, of Halbur, by nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.