Luella Maye Markle

Luella Maye Markle, age 91, of rural Winnebago, died Tuesday, June 25th, 2013 at United Hospital District in Blue Earth. She was born Dec. 28th, 1921, in Franklin County near Alden, IA, the daughter of Lafayette Winfield and Hulda Clara (Fredrickson) Ioerger. In 1926, Luella and her family moved to rural Freeborn, MN, where she attended school through her sophomore year. The family then moved to Wells, buying Grandpa Fredrickson’s 40-acre dairy and produce farm. She worked at Putz Floral Shop, numerous cafes, and the family’s dairy and pasteurizing plant. In 1939, she graduated from Wells High School and was employed as a bookkeeper at Musser & Co. (Lanesboro Produce Co.). Luella married Vance E. Markle at a parsonage in Fairmont on June 7, 1944. They moved to their Winnebago farm where she resided for the next 69 years. The farm’s livestock included cattle, turkeys, ducks, chickens, pigs, work horses and sheep. Men were hired (some Japanese prisoners of war and some from Stillwater prison) as threshers, corn shellers, hay balers and farm hands. Along with being a farm wife and mother, she worked at Stokely Van Camp, Cyanamid and Cenex Farm Supplies. She belonged to a garden club, book club, project group and Bible study and enjoyed her family, friends, needlework, gardening, birds, reading, collecting and walks in her “lane”. She is survived by: her three children, Mary Anderson of Hastings, Jean (Dan) Rennick of Liberty Lake, WA, and Vance (Terri) Markle of Winnebago, 6 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, sister-in-law Rosella Ioerger of Longmont, CO, nieces and nephews. Luella was predeceased by her parents, husband, and two brothers Henry and Willard Ioerger. Spencer-Owen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. A memorial gathering for family, friends and community will be held on the Markle family farm at 19789 393rd Avenue on September 28th, from 1:00-4:00 p.m. Burial will be held in private at Rice Lake Cemetery, Delavan.