Lois Marie Berends

Lois Marie Berends

Oct. 14, 1931 - Dec. 21, 2019

ARAPAHOE, Neb. — Lois Marie Berends passed away at the age of 88 on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, at C.A Mues Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe.

Lois was born on Oct. 14, 1931, at Everly, Iowa, to parents, Ernest and Irene (Snell) Mohni. On March 10, 1951, she was united in marriage to Leslie Everett Berends at Ocheyedan, Iowa. To this union three children were born.

Les and Lois began their life together farming in central Iowa. After two years on the farm, Les took a job working on road construction, which for the next nearly 20 years took them and their family on an adventure living in numerous towns in seven states from Iowa to Montana to Colorado. In what would appear to be a challenging environment to raise a family, Lois created a safe, loving, supportive atmosphere in the home that allowed their children to thrive and succeed.

In 1970, Les started his own earthmoving contracting business in Elizabeth, Colo., where they finished raising their family and subsequently retired in 1996.

After retirement and moving to Indianola, Neb., in 1998, she and Les enjoyed many years traveling and spending lots of time pursuing their passion for fishing at their lake cabin in Nebraska in the summer and in Aransas Pass, Texas, for the winters.

Lois spent the last two years of her life as a resident in the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Arapahoe, where she was known by staff and residents to be a loving, calming influence.

Lois will be always be fondly remembered as a loving and devoted wife and mother, and for her warm smile and twinkle in her eye when she was being mischievous.

Lois is survived by her sister-in-law, Sharon Mohni; brother-in-law, Bill Manitz; her children, Bruce Berends and wife, Sue, Kent Berends and wife, Karen, and Lynn Witte and husband, Joe; grandchildren, Leah McCurdy and husband, Mike, Russell Berends and wife, Amanda, Kelly Backlund and husband, Jesse Watson, Kendra Forney and husband, Scott, Kerri Bell and husband, Sylvan, Kelsey Ullom and husband, Dustin, Tyler Sewell and Sarah Sweeterman, and Jared Sewell and wife, Katie and 15 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leslie (Les); father, Ernest Mohni; mother, Irene and step-father, Lawrence (Jack) Sjostrom; sister, Doris Manitz; and brother, Ray Mohni.

Memorials may be given in her name to First United Methodist Church of Indianola or CA Mues Good Samaritan Center, Arapahoe, Neb.

Services will be Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, at the United Methodist Church in Indianola, Neb., at 2 p.m., with Pastor David Kim officiating. Interment will follow at the Indianola Cemetery.

Friends may leave online condolences at lockenourfh.com. Memorials may be left in Lois’s name to either the Good Samaritan Home of Arapahoe or the United Methodist Church.

Lockenour Jones Mortuary of Cambridge is entrusted with the arrangements.