Obituary of Lois Luretha Wichmann

    Lois Luretha (Fliss) Wichmann was born on November 17, 1931, in Milford, IA to Floyd and Myrtle (Case) Fliss. One of six children, she spent her youth growing up on the farm in rural Milford. She graduated from Everly High School in Everly, IA.

    On June 26, 1949, Lois married the love of her life, Ralph Wichmann, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in May City, IA. To this union was born three daughters: Cathy, Christine, and Melinda. Following their marriage, they farmed together for many years near May City and raised their family there. As a farm wife, Lois excelled in cooking, baking, sewing, and growing a bountiful garden. She loved flowers, consequently, their yard was adorned with color throughout the spring, summer and fall seasons. She canned tons of tomatoes from her garden, as well as green beans. Lois loved to quilt and completed many fine quilts for family members to enjoy and cherish.     

    Throughout their lives together, Ralph and Lois lovingly cared for the Mennonite Cemetery that was located across the road from their farm. As a result, they welcomed many Mennonite guests to their farmstead and traveled to Pennsylvania once to visit some of those acquaintances. In her later years, Lois worked as a cook at Camp Okoboji, where she provided excellent meals for the campers and staff and made many, many friends. She was a potato salad aficionado and would often offer a private critique of potato salad she ordered from a store or in a restaurant, none of which ever measured up to her own recipe. She was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in May City for many years and was an active member of the church’s Ladies Aid Society. Her love for her family and her faith were most important in her life.

    Due to declining health, Lois moved to the Community Memorial Health Center Memory Care Unit on July 2, 2012. Ralph diligently visited her, almost daily, greeting her each time with “hello beautiful!”. They enjoyed meals and time together, even as her memory continued to fade; her face lit up whenever she saw him. Ralph and Lois were married just a month short of 69 years before Ralph passed away on May 25, 2018.

    On Friday, April 14, 2023, Lois slipped away quietly to join Ralph in their eternal home with the Lord. She was preceded in death by her parents, Floyd and Myrtle Fliss; and her five siblings: Virgil Fliss, Muriel Allen, Marjorie Mertens, Verlyn Fliss, and Charlotte Thorne.

    Lois is survived by two daughters, their husbands and families: Chris (John) Kinley of Ames, Iowa, and Melinda (Steve) Meyer of Walker, Iowa; four grandchildren: David and Jeff Kinley and Michelle (Meyer) Schlicht and Toby Meyer; five great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law: Ruth McCarty of Walla Walla, WA and Annie Fliss of Belmond, IA; brothers-in-law: Jim Wichmann of Lexington, MA and Hap Thorne of Everly, IA; many nieces and nephews, relatives and friends.

Lois’ family would like to express their sincere thanks and appreciation to the great staff at Community Memorial Health Center for their understanding and caring approach while working daily to meet Lois’ needs during her final years.

Memorial gifts given in Lois’ name may be directed to

Community Memorial Health Center in Hartley, IA or to Camp Okoboji LC-MS, Milford, IA