Inez Siefken

MASON CITY: Inez Virginia (Miller) Siefken, 86 devoted wife, mother, grandmother, dedicated teacher, and caring friend passed away peacefully with her family at her side on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City. Memorial services will be held 1:00 PM Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 N. Pennsylvania Avenue with Pastor Kathy Graves officiating. Private family inurnment services will be held at a later date. There will be no visitation. Memorials may be given to Trinity Lutheran Church or Hospice of North Iowa.
Inez was born on Far View Farm in rural Rock Valley, Iowa on January 27, 1924. She was the second of five children born to Edwin and Emma (Tank) Miller. She attended country school and graduated from Rock Valley High School. She played the violin in the Rock Valley Orchestra and was a member of the Glee Club and Choir for four years. At an early age Inez developed a love and respect for the land that included conservation and beautification. The years she lived on the farm she was involved in all aspects of farming. She and her siblings and parents showed blue ribbon and champion Poland China hogs and Milking Shorthorn cattle at county and state fairs. She was active in 4-H and Luther League at Peace Lutheran Church. Inez earned her Normal Degree and began teaching school when she was 17 years old. Prior to her marriage she taught in Rock Valley, Muscatine, and Des Moines. She took college courses at WestMar, Colorado University, and Luther College, with her Bachelors of Science Degree and graduate work being completed at Drake University. While at Drake, Inez met Don Siefken and they were united in marriage on June 24, 1950 at Peace Lutheran Church in Rock Valley, Iowa. While living in Postville and Clear Lake, where Don taught and coached, Inez was a substitute teacher and reading tutor. Inez and Don were blessed with two children, Lydia and Benjamin, and her greatest joy was being a stay at home mother to her children. Several years after moving to Mason City, Inez started a twenty year career as a reading teacher in the Mason City Schools. She taught ten years at McKinley and ten years at Harding. Inez was widely recognized for her reading expertise and knowledge. She was also an active volunteer in her church, wherever they lived. She taught Sunday school for more than twenty years, worked with Luther League, and served on church boards and circles. Inez took great pride in her home, beautifully decorated and furnished with antiques purchased at estate sales and finished and restored by hand. When the children were older, Inez started playing golf with Don. For twenty years they played and competed in more than fifteen husband and wife golf tournaments each summer throughout Iowa. Inez also traveled with Don throughout the United States delivering motor homes. She enjoyed these trips, but her favorite destinations were to Faribault, Minnesota and Washington, Missouri, to the homes of their children and grandchildren. Inez was a member of the Lydia Circle at Trinity Lutheran Church, Alpha Delta Kappa, ISEA, NEA, and MCRTA. She enjoyed decorating their home, gardening, cooking, reading, golfing, antiques, and, most of all, spending time with her family.
Inez was a beautiful person with a beautiful soul. She had a strong intellect, a wonderful perspective on life, a delightful sense of humor, and an everlasting love of life and God. Those left to cherish her memory include many friends, colleagues, former students, and loving family that includes husband Don Siefken, daughter Lydia Fitzgerald and husband, Mark, son Benjamin Siefken and wife, Stacey, grand-daughters Rachel and Rebekah Fitzgerald, Kennedy and Delaney Siefken, special friends, Marcus Malloy and Joseph Kollar, siblings Katie Munday of LeMars, John (Mary) Miller of Rock Valley, Neva (Paul) Johnson of Algona, and many wonderful nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Edwin and Emma Miller, her sister, Ruth (Miller) Franken, parents-in-law John and Pearl (VanDeVentor) Siefken, brothers-in-law, Gene Hurless, Arnold Siefken, Ralph Siefken, Joe Franken, Jim Munday, nephew Philip Franken and nieces Rachel Franken and Dorcas (Franken) Donovan.

Memorials:
Trinity Lutheran Church or Hospice of North Iowa

Service:
1:00 PM Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church