Irma L. Nissen

Irma Leanna (Boehnke) Nissen, 89, of Neenah, WI and formerly of Ames, IA, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, December 28, 2016, at Valley VNA Senior Services in Neenah. Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM on Friday, January 6, 2016, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 2405 260th Street – Garner, IA, with Pastor Carl Hedberg officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the church service. Interment will take place in St. John’s Cemetery – Garner. Memorials may be directed to Memorial Lutheran Church, 2228 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50014.

Irma was born on May 16, 1927 to Edward Martin Richard Boehnke and Elsie M. Pueggel of Garner, Iowa and grew up on a farm just north of Garner. She was one of six children. One older sister, Ruth, died before Irma was born.

Irma attended country school, St. John’s Parochial School and Garner High School. She went on to attend Hamilton’s Business School. She worked as a secretary at Henkel’s Construction in Mason City, Iowa. She met Ralph P. Nissen while she was working in Mason City and married him on January 28, 1951.

Irma and Ralph moved to Ames so Ralph could finish his education at Iowa State University. Shortly after their move to Ames, Irma got a job as a secretary for the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). Ralph and Irma stayed in Ames after Ralph graduated from ISU. They had five children: Jonathan, Beth, Richard, Robin, and Martha. Irma was an awesome housewife and mom. Taking care of her family was very important to her. She often said her children were her life.
God was the foundation for Irma. She was baptized and confirmed at the St John’s Lutheran Church at Garner, IA. She became a member and attended Memorial Lutheran Church after she and Ralph moved to Ames.

Watching ISU basketball, doing crossword puzzles, sewing, reading, and cooking were her favorite past times. No one went away from the table hungry as Irma was an excellent cook. The one thing she always enjoyed was taking a ride in the country and looking at all the crops the farmers had planted. Growing up a farm kid was just a part of her and she loved it.

Irma was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Elsie Boehnke, husband, Ralph, step-mother Lu, brothers, James Boehnke and Donald Boehnke; sisters Ruth Boehnke and Lucy (Boehnke) McMillan Love, and daughter, Robin (Nissen) Groshek.

She is survived by her four children: Jonathan Nissen (Wendy), Beth Wilhelms (Randy), Richard Nissen (Erin), Martha Flick (Gary) and son-in-law Jeff Groshek, ten grandchildren: Alex Nissen, Matthew Wilhelms (Amy), Jared Wilhelms, Amanda Groshek, Ben Groshek (Cait), Joe Groshek, Elizabeth Groshek, Max Nissen, Roman Nissen and Ivy Nissen; six great grandchildren; and sister: Marilyn Hayes.