Ollivene Mendenhall

Ollivene Leoris Merk was born May 10, 1921, the daughter of Isaac Charles and Anna Marie (Buthwig) Merk in Audubon County, Iowa. She was baptized April 7, 1946, in the Audubon Methodist Church and passed away March 3, 2015, at the Friendship Home in Audubon, Iowa.

The Merk family lived on a small farm northwest of Audubon. Like most farm families, they knew how to work hard and how to do things for themselves. She attended country school at Leroy #3 and graduated from the Audubon High School.

On August 1, 1937, Ollivene was married to Homer B. Mendenhall at the Christian Church parsonage in Audubon. Ollivene worked at the Audubon County Hospital for 25 years as head cook and also served as head dietician. She was later employed at General Electric in Carroll, Iowa.

Ollivene was known for being a great cook. She could always be found in her kitchen at the stove, having coffee and sharing stories with friends and neighbors or looking out the window bird watching. She also enjoyed gardening, crocheting, traveling and photography.

Ollivene was preceded in death by her husband, Homer Mendenhall; her son, Derald Mendenhall; her parents, Charles and Anna Merk; and her sister, Thelma Fritsch.

She is survived by her children, Marilyn Andreasen of Tabor, IA, Deloris (Roy) Rustvold of Audubon, IA, Gary (Patty) Mendenhall of Carroll, IA and Jeff Mendenhall of Springfield, MO; her grandchildren, Brad Mendenhall, Randy (Dorene) Mendenhall, Gina Lillie, Mike Andreasen, Lisa Whiten, Sherry Christiansen, Tammy Leonard, Clinton Rosenbeck, Misty (Michael) Boes, Reece Mendenhall and Connor Mendenhall; 17 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren; her sister, Elinor Anderson of Naples, FL; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 7, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. with a time for visitation one hour prior, at Hockenberry-England Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa.

Committal services will be held in the Maple Grove Cemetery, Audubon, Iowa, following the funeral service.

Lunch will be served at the home of Deloris and Roy Rustvold, 315 Pacific Street, Audubon, Iowa, following the committal service.

Hockenberry-England Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.