Geneva Wenke

Wilma Geneva Wenke 98, of Pender, Nebraska died peacefully on January 2, 2014 in Lincoln, Nebraska. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at United Church of Pender on Monday January 6th at 1:00 p.m.; Pastor Steven Breazier will be officiating. Burial will be at a later date at Rosehill Cemetery in Pender, NE. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be sent to the United Church of Pender. Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home of Pender is in charge of the arrangements. Geneva was born on March 25, 1915 in Didsbury, Alberta Canada to Owen Clyde and Bessie Curtis Teare. Geneva graduated from Hartington, Nebraska High School in 1933. She attended Wayne State Teachers College and received her teaching certificate. Geneva began her teaching career in Hartington and then took a teaching job in Pender in 1936. She taught in a one room school in District 54 south of Pender. She met her husband Sterling at a dance and they were married in 1938. Sterling and Geneva farmed outside Pender in both Thurston and Cumming Counties. They left the farm in 1946 and started Wenke Farm Store (now Wenke Manufacturing) in Pender. Geneva and Sterling had three children and when they had all left home she began a rewarding career as a social worker with Thurston County Social Services. Geneva worked hard to help establish the Meals on Wheels program in Pender. Geneva was a member of United Presbyterian Church and was active in church activities throughout her life. Geneva and husband Sterling worked hard to help establish the Thurston County Heritage Museum in Pender. She loved to paint and at the age of 75 returned to Wayne State and enrolled as an art student. Geneva’s hobbies included painting, traveling, gardening, playing bridge with friends and reading. She is survived by her son Bill Wenke (Maureen) of Pender, Nebraska; daughter Janice Roberts of Lincoln, Nebraska; and son Paul Wenke (Hope) of Westcliffe, Colorado and her five grandchildren Cara Roberts Clarke, Brad Wenke, Andrea Wenke Kathol, Chris Hansen and Nicole Wenke Given and three great grandchildren and a sister Donna Belle Kniefl of Broomfield, Colorado. Geneva is preceded in death by her parents, husband Sterling and sister Ahlene Morton.