Iris Mae Fodness, 90, Hills, died Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, at the Sanford Luverne Hospital.
A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 11, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. Burial will follow at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10, at the Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne.
Iris Helmke was born to Henry and Elsie (Haveman) Helmke on Aug. 24, 1929, on the Helmke family farm near Lake Wilson. She attended Cameron Township Country School in Murray County and graduated as valedictorian from Lake Wilson High School in 1947. She continued her education and attained her Minnesota Teachers Training certification in Lamberton. She then taught in a one-room school in Cameron Township for one year.
Iris married Berdeen “Bud” Fodness on Aug. 22, 1950, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Lake Wilson. They began their life together on an acreage northwest of Kenneth where they built their home, planted numerous trees and were blessed with five children. In August 1968, Bud died suddenly as the result of a vehicle train accident. Iris worked for a time as a nurses’ aide at the Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne and lived various places, including Luverne, Worthington and Hills, before becoming a resident at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills.
Iris was a member of the Blue Mound Lutheran Church near Luverne until its closing. She then became a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. She belonged to Ladies Aid and enjoyed helping with numerous aspects of the church. She loved entertaining in her home and enjoyed card club, dancing, traveling and writing poetry. In her later years she enjoyed bingo, rocking in her rocking chair, listening to the radio and visiting with others. Her greatest love was for her children and grandchildren.
Iris is survived by her children, Deborah (Steven) Skyberg of Frazee, Dwight Fodness (Patricia Grayson) of Sheridan, Oregon, Dawn DeGrote of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, Lauret (Dan) Haupert of Lake Wilson, and Cindy (Mark) Lanars of Kasota; seven grandchildren, Scott Skyberg, Sara (Gabe) Ward, Derek (Jessica) DeGrote, Crystal (Joe) Heppe, David Haupert (Morgan Hirth), Travis (Kathleen) Haupert and Kayla (Nic) Harenza; 15 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Patricia Helmke of Omaha, Nebraska; and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Berdeen “Bud” Fodness; son-in-law Eldon DeGrote; her parents; a sister, Eileen Isbrands; and a brother, Roy Helmke.
Memorial donations may be directed to the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills or Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne.
Arrangements are provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, www.hartquistfuneral.com.
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