Lorraine K. Wempe, age 94, of Halbur, died Sunday, January 16, 2022 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 22, 2022 at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Halbur. The Celebrant will be Fr. Merlin Schrad. Music will be by Julie Sibbel and the St. Augustine Choir. Mass Servers will be Tim Sibbel and Carli Sibbel. Lector will be Lisa LaPenna. Gift Bearers will be Holly Janning and Laura Snyder. Eucharistic Minister will be Joan Rutten. Casket Bearers will be David Buelt, Allan Rutten, Jim Rutten, Denny Rutten, Michael Sibbel, and Michael Soppe. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Saturday morning at St. Augustine Church in Halbur. Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Lorraine’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Lorraine, the daughter of August and Kathryn (Soppe) Sibbel was born on August 26, 1927 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa. She attended St. Augustine School in Halbur. Following her education, she worked as a “Nanny” for families in the Breda area. Lorraine and Clarence B. Wempe were married on June 5, 1946 at St. Augustine Church in Halbur. The couple made their first home in Breda and then in 1956 moved to the Joe Sibbel farm southwest of Halbur. In 1984, after Lorraine and Clarence retired from farming, the couple moved to their home in Halbur. Lorraine and Clarence worked side by side as custodians for St. Augustine Parish for 19 years after they moved to Halbur.
Lorraine was a lifetime member of the St. Augustine Ladies’ Guild. Lorraine was devoted to being a homemaker. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, quilting, and doing volunteer work in her free time. She helped with many nursing home bingo events and crocheted many baby blankets for the Nursery at St. Anthony Regional Hospital. She had a strong devotion to her Catholic faith and attended mass regularly, received Holy Communion, was a member of the church prayer chain, and said her prayers and the rosary daily.
Survivors include her sister-in-law, Margie Sibbel of Halbur; brother-in-law Dick (Mary Jo) Rutten of Carroll and by many nieces, nephews, and their families.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence, in 2010; her parents; brother, John Sibbel; sister, Ruth Rutten; brothers and sisters-in-law, Ben and Marita Buelt, Dennis and Marian Niceswanger, Donald, Vernon, and Marion Wempe, and by her parents-in-law: Joseph and Mary Wempe.
