Lorna M. Koenck

Lorna (Jones) Koenck, 89, died at home on March 25, 2015. If a life well lived is judged by the laughter and kindness one gave, then Lorna certainly lived well. Her concern for the welfare of others, sense of humor, infectious laugh and faith in Christ infused her life.

Lorna was born on December 29, 1925, to Minnie Jane Pulleyblank (of Plymouth, England) and Earl Riley Jones (US Navy - WWI) on a rented farm in Iowa. She was raised during the Great Depression and never forgot the lesson of making do with less. She was the last survivor and the middle child of 9 children. She often reminisced about her childhood, telling amusing stories of her life, her siblings and laughter in the face of deprivation. She moved in to town while in high school with her sister so she could attend school choir. Lorna had a lovely singing voice in her youth. While working part-time at the local cafe in Rockwell City, Iowa on a Sunday the news came over the radio that Pearl Harbor had been attacked. Her older brother, Jim, was serving on the USS Tennessee and it took several weeks before they received word that he had survived the attack. Lorna then moved to Buffalo, NY to live with her other older brother, Clyde, until he too was called to serve. Mom then made her way to New York City with a friend and lived and worked in Manhattan. From there she moved to Norfolk, VA for work and met her first husband, George Teal. She had her first child, George, when she was 18 and they were living in Wadesboro, North Carolina when Linda came along in 1947. Unfortunately, this marriage did not last and Lorna moved back to Iowa with her two small children in 1949.

While working as a carhop in Fort Dodge, IA, she met Leonard Koenck and they married in 1952. The next seven years saw the arrival of 4 more sons: Larry, Leon, Lynn and Lowell. The "L"'s were a family tradition since George was often called by his middle name Lance (Lanny) while growing up. The family moved around Iowa while Leonard pursued different business opportunities and then to Santa Rosa, CA in 1961 for 6 months. Returning to Iowa, the family settled in Fort Dodge again. After graduating high school, George moved to California. Then, after a family vacation in Colorado in the summer of 1966, the family moved to Colorado in 1967. Linda stayed in Ft. Dodge, having married Gary that summer.

Soon after the move to Colorado, her marriage to Leonard ended and Lorna returned to full-time work in her early 40's, no small task in the late 1960's. She worked as a waitress at the Wellshire Inn for more than a year. In 1970, as a single mom with 4 sons still at home, she joined Mountain Bell, first as a switch board operator. After 20 years, mainly as an executive assistant, she retired as a manager from U.S. West in 1990. Lorna was very active in her faith, first at Grace Presbyterian and from 1990 on at Cherry Hills Community Church. She attended weekly bible study, went on retreats, and volunteered every Sunday as a greeter and assisted with counting the collection. She spent her retirement years traveling to visit family, going to see Leon in Alaska several times (she almost moved to Homer, AK she loved it so much there), Washington state, George in California, Larry in North Carolina and back to Iowa almost every summer to see her mom, sisters, brother, daughter and grandchildren. She once drove straight through to Malo, WA, only making short pit stops, a 16 hour drive at age 69! In 1998, she and her son Lynn traveled to Plymouth, England and stayed with her cousin Gillian for a week, so she could finally see where her mom came from. She loved to play golf and really missed getting out on the course. Recently, poor health restricted her from these pursuits, but she never lost her amazing sense of humor or her faith.

Lorna is survived by her 6 children: George (Lisa) Teal of Santa Clara, CA, Linda (Gary) Waechter of Fort Dodge, IA, Larry (Cathi) Koenck of Greensboro, NC , Leon Koenck of Talkeetna, AK, Lynn (Cynthia) Koenck of Aurora, CO and Lowell (Lori) Koenck of Littleton, CO; 17 grandchildren: Jeffrey (Tina) Teal, Heather Teal, Kristen Anderson, Michael (Jana) Waechter, Lori (Tim) Collison, Jenny (Mark) Vohsman, Suzi (Dustin) Parry, Mandy (Robbie) Enquist, John Waechter, Matthew (Amy) Waechter, Stephanie (Zak) Clapp, Michael (Sarah, fiancee) Koenck, Elizabeth Koenck, Kassie (Shane) Devoll, Cody Schwarz, Collin (Emily) Schwarz and Ellie Koenck; and 26 great-grand children: Hannah, Skyler, Laura, Leah, Taylor, Mackenzie, Brandon, Megan, Abby, Kara, Madison, Emily, Tia, Sadie, Savannah, Ali, Gabriel, Nathan, Brady, Kason, Drake, Hayden, Brandon, Chase, Cooper and Max. She is also survived by brothers- and sisters-in-law: Norma Jones (IA), Sue Jones (HI), Donna and Leroy Olerich (IA), and Muriel and Elsy Evans (CA).

The family would like to express sincere gratitude to her caregivers: Cyndi Gleason, Heather Blois, Crystal Lukins, Barb Lotz and all the staff and supporters at Visiting Angels. These kind, caring women helped us to keep mom safe at home, comforted by family, friends, neighbors and familiar possessions. Angels indeed!

Services will be held at Cherry Hills Community Church in the chapel on Friday, April 17, 2015, 11:00 a.m., reception and interment to follow. In lieu of flowers, contributions to TLC Meals on Wheels are suggested. Please share your stories of Lorna at [email protected].

Burial arrangements under the direction of Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery.