Obituary of Ersel Mohni

Ersel Bernice (Roberts) Mohni was born to Charles and Osa (Weaver) Roberts in Buena Vista County near Sulphur Springs, Iowa on November 19, 1909. She attended school in Sulphur Springs and later, when her family moved to a farm near Lake Park, Iowa, she continued her education at Excelsior Consolidated School. Following her school years Ersel worked at home helping her family. On February 14, 1930 Ersel was united in Marriage to John Mohni in Spirit Lake, Iowa. To this union two children were born, Irvin and Neoma. John and Ersel raised their family and farmed in the Everly and Hartley areas until they retired and moved to Hartley in 1956. John passed away on January 11th, 1994. Ersel continued to live and work in Hartley and later moved to the Senior Wellness Center. In 2008 Ersel moved to the Community Memorial Health Center and that was her home until her death on October 1st at the age of 99. Ersel belonged to the Trinity United Church of Christ where she was a member of the Dorcas Society. She loved to work and enjoyed being around people. She was employed at the bakery and the flower shop, waitressed at numerous Hartley cafes, cleaned homes, and cooked at the hospital. Ersel continued working into her 90’s, lastly in the kitchen at Red’s Cafe, which she enjoyed very much. Her hobbies included embroidering, crocheting, gardening, and playing dominos and a variety of card games. Ersel is survived by her six grandchildren: Lynwood and Sandra Mohni, Lanette and Dennis Pearson, Lisa and John Schierholz, all of Hartley, IA, LaDonna Thooft of Russell, MN, Leon and Jan Purhmann, Tami and Wayne Fiddelke all of Paullina, IA; 14 Great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren; a son-in-law Ralph Purhmann of Sanborn, IA and a daughter-in-law Hazel Meyer of Spirit Lake, IA; several nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends. Ersel was preceded in death by her husband John, her son Irvin, her daughter Neoma, her daughter-in-law Margaret, her grandson-in-law Donald Thooft, her great grandson Jordan Fiddelke, and her two brothers Lloyd and Richard Roberts. A Celebration of Life Ersel B. Mohni Born ~ November 19, 1909 Died ~ October 1, 2009 Age ~ 99 years 10 months 12 days Funeral Service 2:00 p.m. Sunday, October 4, 2009 Trinity United Church of Christ Hartley, Iowa Officiating ~ Rev. Jeff Filkins Organist ~ Julie Back Soloist ~ Rev. Jeff Filkins “Precious Lord Take My Hand” Congregational Singing Processional ~ “In the Garden” P.237 Recessional ~ “The Old Rugged Cross” P.195 Pallbearers Alic Mohni Jeremy Pearson Nyles Schimmer Aaron Thooft Andrew Puhrmann Megan Fiddelke Ushers Verlus Pippert Aud De Graaf Interment Pleasant View Cemetery Hartley, Iowa The family invites you to join them for a time of lunch and fellowship immediately following the Committal Service. ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY Ersel had many caring, generous friends throughout her long and full life. We wish to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for the sharing of your time and of yourselves. Each of you enriched Ersel’s life in a special way, and for that, we are thankful.