Jeanelle Faye Wendte

Jeanelle Faye Wendte, 80, of Sioux City passed away Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007, at Countryside Retirement Community.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at Trinity Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Paul Johnston officiating. Burial will be in Silver Ridge Cemetery at Ponca, Neb. Visitation will be 3 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 5 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 6 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Online condolences may be sent to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Jeanelle was born March 13, 1927, in Ponca, the daughter of Elmer and Ida (Gasser) Carter. She attended school in Ponca, graduating from Ponca High School in 1944.

She married Paul Wendte on Aug. 23, 1950, in Ponca. She was employed by the Bank of Dixon County in Ponca until moving to Sioux City. She was employed by Security National Bank in Sioux City for 25 years, where she was a personal banker at the Leeds branch and the main office downtown before retiring in 1987.

She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the Altar Guild. She was a regular attendee of the Thursday afternoon worship service. Jeanelle was an accomplished organist, playing at Salem Lutheran Church in Ponca and Trinity Lutheran Church in Sioux City. She enjoyed traveling throughout the Western U.S. and spending winters in Texas. She also enjoyed following the Lewis & Clark Expedition.

She spent her free time volunteering at Mercy Medical Center's Gift Shop and St. Luke's Medical Center for the Children's Miracle Network. She knitted baby caps for children in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and afghan blankets for her grandchildren. She was an avid Minnesota Twins, Chicago Bulls and Iowa Hawkeyes fan, watching them play whenever possible. She enjoyed playing all kinds of games and cards, including Phase 10 and Hand and Foot with her grandchildren. She enjoyed feeding all of her wildlife, especially the squirrels at the back door and giving special treats to her "Grand Dog" Lady.

Survivors include two daughters, Paula Hegarty and her husband, Terry of Sioux City, and grandchildren, Nick Hegarty and his wife, Amber of Sioux City, John Hegarty and his wife, Dawn of Sioux City, David Hegarty and his wife, Brooke of Council Bluffs, Iowa; and Jan Forstein-Cruikshank and her husband, Brian Cruikshank of Sioux Falls, S.D., and grandchildren, Avram of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Jacob Forstein and Tovia Forstein, both of Sioux Falls; two great-grandchildren, Grant and Benjamin Hegarty; and her dear friend, Jim Peterson of Vermillion, S.D.

She was preceded in death by her parents; an infant sister, Bertha Jean; and her close friend, R.A. "Bob" Nichols.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Nick, John, David, Avram, Jacob and Tovia.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church or Hospice of Siouxland.

She will be greatly loved and remembered by all of her family and friends.