Berdena Nemitz

Berdena Nemitz

1929 – 2024

DENISON - Dena Nemitz, 94, passed away March 30, 2024 at Gracewell Nursing Home in Denison. Funeral Services were held 11 a.m., Thursday, April 4, 2024 at Zion Lutheran Church in Denison. Rev. Chad Trunkhill officiated the service with interment in Crawford Heights Memory Gardens in Denison. Organist Karen Kahl provided accompaniment for congregational hymns “Just As I Am,” “The Old Rugged Cross,” and “How Great Thou Art.” Serving as pallbearers were Jaxon Wessel, Aaron Hember, Jy Hember, Marcus Lee, Bill Boger and Randy Readshaw. Following the burial, the family invited everyone to return to the church for a time of fellowship and lunch. Services were entrusted to the Huebner Funeral Home.

Berdena “Dena” Anna Nemitz was born June 9, 1929, the daughter of Fred and Rose (Trenkelbach) Kollbaum. She was the 13th child out of 14 children.

Dena was born in Schleswig, Iowa and received her education in area country schools.

On Feb. 23, 1947, she was united in marriage to Earl Boger in Hiawatha, Kansas and was blessed with four children: Norman, Edward, Kenneth and Vickie. They parted in 1966. On Oct. 2, 1968, she married William Nemitz. They lived and farmed south of Arthur, then retired to Storm Lake. After William passed away Nov. 8, 1980, Dena moved to Denison.

Growing up, she had several jobs. Starting on the family farm helping with siblings, livestock, and crops. As a young adult, she and several of her sisters cleaned homes, hanging wallpaper and painting, canning fruits and vegetables, butchering chickens and cleaning several businesses. She enjoyed playing her banjo, guitar, and singing with her kids. Later on, she sold Studio Girl Cosmetics and Stanley Home Products and owned and operated two Taverns: D&E in Arthur and Dena’s Place in Boyer. She worked in several cafes, and enjoyed helping out at John’s Steakhouse in Schleswig and Cronk’s Café in Denison; she stopped working at the age of 83. She was also a caregiver for 3 of her siblings.

She was a very active lady, especially with all of her fun-loving hobbies: card games, bowling, playing marbles, bingo, going to the Casino, scratch lotto tickets, watching game shows, westerns, wrestling and attending her grandchildren’s sports activities.

Dena was a sincere child of God, who loved her church. She was the President of the Bowling Association and President of several church groups throughout her Christian life.

Dena was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Earl in 1972; second husband, William in 1980; two sons: Norman and his wife Sandy and Edward and his wife Paulette; one grandson, Tracy; five brothers: Freddie, Raymond, John, Alvin (Al) and Marvin (Dickie); eight sisters: Marie Prussing, Hilda Paulsen, Viola Kollbaum, Irene Johnson, Mable Christiansen, Esther Lackman, Margaret Wissink and Rose Nielsen. Survivors include her son, Kenneth (Connie) Boger of Ida Grove; daughter, Vickie Hember of Cherokee; son-in-law, John Hember of Quimby; daughter-in-law, Penny Boger of Florida; 12 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; 11 great-great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Services: April 4, Zion Lutheran Church, Denison

Burial: Crawford Heights Memory Gardens, Denison

Huebner Funeral Home • Denison • 712-263-4158