Vera Warnke

LaVera (Vera) Bockhaus Warnke, age 101, died on February 12, 2017. A prayer service will be held at the Dahl•Van Hove•Schoof Funeral Home in Cedar Falls, on Wednesday, February 15 th at 11am, with visitation one hour prior to service time. Officiant will be Vera's grandson-in-law, Pastor Mark Williamson. Interment will be at Greenwood Cemetery in Cedar Falls, Iowa, immediately following the service.

Vera was born on September 29, 1915, in New Hampton, Iowa, the daughter of August and Louise Bockhaus.

After high school and college graduation, she taught in a country school for 10 years.  During World War II, she worked for the U. S. Department of Defense assembling small bombs. Prior to retirement, she was an office manager in Cedar Falls.

Vera married Clarence Warnke on June 19, 1941 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Frederika, Iowa. During their married life, they lived in Waterloo, on an acreage near Cedar Falls, and in Cedar Falls in their retirement.  They had two daughters, Kathlyn and Jann. For many years Clarence and Vera enjoyed buying, restoring, and selling antiques.  Clarence died on October 2, 1986.  A few years later, Vera moved to Grinnell, Iowa, where her daughter's family lived. She was one of the first residents of the Seeland Park retirement community. She was a good cook and was known for her lemon meringue pie.  She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church. Antiquing, reading, traveling with her family, and tending her flowers were her favorite hobbies.

Vera was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Clarence, and three brothers (Elmer, Clarence and Ray) and two sisters (Wilma Mueller and Leola Wendt).

Vera is survived by two daughters: Kathlyn (Dave) Barger formerly of Grinnell, and Jann Warnke of Papillion, Nebraska, granddaughter Jennifer (Mark) Williamson of Dodgeville, Wisconsin, grandson Ryan Barger of Grinnell, two great granddaughters, Hope and Iris Williamson, and sister-in-law Margaret Warnke of Plainfield, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the St. John's Lutheran Church Endowment Fund or St. Francis Manor Foundation, both in Grinnell, Iowa.