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Loretta Leona Rehnstrom, 89, of Storm Lake died Dec. 24, 2024, at Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Dec. 28, at Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. Burial was in Storm Lake Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Sleep In Heavenly Peace, Sioux City, or Friends With Food, St. Mark Lutheran Church.
Loretta was born Oct. 24, 1935, to Herman and Elsie (Ripke) Hartje on their farm in rural Storm Lake. She was baptized Nov. 17, 1935, and confirmed on April 2, 1950, at Zion Lutheran Church in Storm Lake. Loretta graduated from Sulphur Springs School.
On Nov. 21, 1954, Loretta was united in marriage to Russell Biggins at Zion Lutheran Church. They were blessed with three children: Cathy, Jean and Jan. Russell passed away May 2, 1999. Loretta later married Robert Rehnstrom on Feb. 14, 2002. She welcomed five stepchildren: Diane, David, Denise, Dawn and Debbie. Robert passed away Jan. 4, 2021.
Loretta was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Storm Lake where she served as a Sunday school teacher and a member of Ladies Aid. She loved taking care of her children and home. Loretta later worked for Lakeshore Café & Catering and Sodexo at Buena Vista University. In her free time, Loretta enjoyed gardening and tending to her flower beds. You could find her going for walks by the lake. Loretta spent her winters in Mesa, Ariz., each year and enjoyed traveling. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.
Left to cherish Loretta’s memory include her children: Cathy (Jim) Nelson of Alta; Jean (Jim) Toillion of Eagle Grove; Jan (Monty) West of Centennial, Colo.; sisters: Marciel Hartje of Storm Lake; Janice Oeffner of Paullina; grandchildren: Jace “J.W.” (Katie) Nelson, Jeni (Boone) Snidecor, Tiffany (Jason) Roosa, Eric (Tara) Johansen, Justin West, Heidi Toillion, Mindy (Dan) Dooley and Ryan Toillion; step-children: Diane (Alan) Hicks, David (Laurie) Rehnstrom, Denise Wall, Dawn (Greg) Shinn and Debbie Condit; numerous step-grandchildren and many great-grandchildren; extended family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Elsie Hartje; brothers, Arnold Hartje and Leonard Hartje; sisters-in-law: Dorcas Hartje, Darlene Hartje and Marlys Faber; and brother-in-law Ed Faber.
