Lois Ruth Singer, of Le Mars passed away Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2002, at Brentwood Good Samaritan Center in Le Mars.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. John's Lutheran Church in Le Mars, with the Rev. Jean Morse officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today, with the family present 5:30 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., all at Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. Visitation will resume one hour prior to the service Saturday at the church.

Lois Ruth Berkenpas was born Jan. 28, 1920, on the family farm near Seney, Iowa, the daughter of Jake and Albertha (Dambrink) Berkenpas. She attended country school in Plymouth County, Iowa, and moved to Le Mars following her education.

On Dec. 21, 1941, she and Merlin Singer were united in marriage in South Sioux City. The couple made their home in Le Mars. She worked at Sheehan's Produce and Nuebel's Grocery. She was later employed at Aalfs Manufacturing and the Amber Inn.

She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church. She enjoyed cooking, baking and making crafts with her husband. Most of all, she loved to play the piano at dances and receptions throughout the area. She played with the Debonairs, Two Hits and a Mrs. and played and recorded a single with the Hi-Liters.

She will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Merlin of Le Mars; four daughters, Nancy Rensink of Hinton, Iowa, Linda Oloff and her husband, Dean, of Craig, Iowa, Barbara Jackson and her husband, Alton, of Hastings, Neb., and Patricia Vink and her husband, John, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; her grandchildren, Keith and Leigh Rensink, Greg Rensink and his fiancee, Abbey Sackett, Eric Rensink, Jennifer Rensink, Cami and Thomas Straw, Matthew Hofmeyer, Lori Hofmeyer, Ryan and Ann Oloff, Erin Oloff, Brett Mackey, Paige Mackey, Chad Vink and Trish Vink; her great-grandchildren, MacKenzie Vink, Dylan Oloff, Hunter Rensink and Brayden Mackey; a brother and his wife, Henry and Anita Berkenpas of Le Mars; four sisters, Edith Renken and her husband, Walter, of Le Mars, Dorothy Hoppe and her husband, Paul, of Le Mars, Jean Van Roekel of Orange City, Iowa, and Frances Leonard of Austin, Texas; a sister-in-law, Florence Diediker of Le Mars.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Della Berkenpas, Mildred Berkenpas and Alice Jennings; and her brothers, Leonard, William, Norman, Ray, Art and Andrew.

Pallbearers will be her family.

Sioux City Journal - 6 December 2002