Lois May Behrens

Lois May Behrens, age 95, of Okabena, Minnesota, passed away on Saturday, December 25, 2021, at the Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Visitation will be held from 4:00-6:00 p.m. on Friday, January 7, 2022, at the Osterberg Funeral Home in Lakefield, and will continue from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 8, 2022, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Okabena. Funeral service will begin at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Jeff Sage and Pastor David McDonald officiating. Burial will follow the funeral service at the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Lakefield.

Lois May Behrens, age 95, of Okabena, Minnesota, passed away on Saturday, December 25, 2021, at the Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  Lois was born on January 21,1926, to Louie and Elizabeth (Schmidt) Pomerenke on the family farm in West Heron Lake Township, near Okabena, She was their first-born child.  Lois was baptized (February 15, 1926) and confirmed (March 17, 1940) at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Okabena.

She attended District #73 School near Okabena, through the eighth grade and then helped her parents raise her younger siblings who were at home. She obtained her Secondary School Equivalence Certification in January 1958.  In 1959, she graduated from Miller Hospital School of Nursing in St. Paul, Minnesota, with an LPN degree. Lois worked at the Lakefield, Municipal Hospital from 1959-1968 and then transferred to the Lakefield Clinic until her retirement in 1986.

L. Vernon Behrens and Lois were united in marriage at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Okabena on October 14, 1978.  They enjoyed traveling, volunteering at the Okabena School, and flying in Vernon’s plane.  They both were members of the Okabena Community Club.  

Lois was an active member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Okabena.  She served as the LWML president for 33 years and also served in many different roles.  She was a member of the “Lois” club, the Red Hat Society, a bowling team, and golfed.  She enjoyed hosting a coffee group at her home.

 Lois loved the Fourth of July Celebration in Okabena.  She assisted the American Legion/Auxiliary by serving food and selling raffle tickets for quilts on the Fourth. Selling Fourth of July pins all around Okabena and the surrounding area brought her enjoyment.  Family members would gather on her lawn to watch the parade and fireworks.

In recent years, Lois hosted the Pomerenke Christmas which included four generations of family.  Food, games, songs, photos, and “white elephant” gifts were part of the celebration.  Oyster stew on Christmas Eve along with caramel corn were favorites.   Family was very important to Lois and many memories were made at these family gatherings. She loved family traditions. Lois had a doll collection and her step-great-grandchildren raced to play with them.

Lois is survived by her step-son-in-law, Charles Crossfield, Faribault, Minnesota; her step-grandchildren Brenda Crossfield, Plattville, Wisconsin, and Renee (Jonathan) Beardsley, Faribault; step-great-grandchildren Ella, Owen, and Brynn Beardsley; her sister Marles (Robert) Lange, Windom, Minnesota, and brother Delbert (Janice) Pomerenke, Windom; sisters-in-law, Bonnie Pomerenke, Lakefield; and Mary Ann Pomerenke, Sioux Falls; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces/nephews, great-great nieces/nephews, cousins, and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Vernon, stepchildren Linda Crossfield and Sharon Behrens, brothers Loren, Eldon, Donald, and Kenneth, sister LaVonne Pfeil, brothers-in law Henry Pfeil and Lawrence Malchow, sisters-in-law Phyllis Pomerenke and Lorraine Malchow. 

Blessed be the memory of Lois May Pomerenke Behrens.

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