Verla Jane Fagenbaum, 83, of rural Hawkeye, died Sunday evening, April 20, 2025, at the Hillcrest Home in Sumner.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sumner with Rev. Tanner Post officiating. Interment will follow at Lutheran Cemetery of Sumner Township, rural Sumner. Visitation will be from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Tuesday, April 22nd at Becker & Son Funeral Home in Sumner and for one hour preceding services at the Church on Wednesday. Memorials may be made to the family for later designation.
Verla Jane, daughter of Marvin and Stella (Hoepfner) Pleggenkuhle was born June 17, 1941, in Fayette County, Iowa. She was baptized on July 20, 1941, by Rev. H.G. Diemer and confirmed on May 29, 1955, by Rev. Giese, both at St. Peter Lutheran Church-Richfield, rural Sumner. Verla attended country school at Bethel #9 for eight years in Fayette County and graduated from Sumner High School in 1959. On May 19, 1961, she was united in marriage with Robert Fagenbaum at St. Peter Lutheran Church-Richfield with Rev. Eugene F. Kramer presiding. To this union two children were born, Diane and David. Verla worked at Community Memorial Hospital in Sumner and the Sumner Gazette. She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sumner where she taught Sunday School and Religious Education and served as a first responder for Hawkeye for many years. Verla was a lifelong resident of Sumner and Hawkeye and became a resident of the Hillcrest Home in February of 2025. She loved living on their farm, rural Hawkeye, loved animals, and was a talented musician.
Verla is survived by her husband, Robert of rural Hawkeye; children, Diane (Russell) Wilson and David (Darleth) Fagenbaum of Sumner; two grandchildren, Krista (Mike) Milnes of Ankeny and Josh (Kelli) Fagenbaum of Ankeny; four great-grandchildren, Hayden and Grace Milnes and Briggs and Banks Fagenbaum; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Paul (Roberta) Fagenbaum and Harvey (Darla) Fagenbaum, all of Sumner; and seven nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father, Marvin on May 17, 1995; mother Stella on December 15, 2000; brother, Merle Pleggenkuhle on May 5, 1999; and sister-in-law, Kay Ann in infancy.
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