Lydia Gnagey

A celebration of life for Lydia C. Gnagey 85, of Wellman will be held Friday, January 21, 2011 at 2:00PM at the Fairview Mennonite Church in rural Kalona with Pastors Don Swartzentruber and Perry Miller officiating.  Burial will follow at the Fairview Cemetery.  Visitation will be held Thursday, January 20 from 2-4 and 5-7 PM at the Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona.  A memorial fund has been established for the Fairview Mennonite Church.  Lydia died Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at Parkview Manor in Wellman from complications of Leukemia.

Lydia was born June 25, 1925 in rural Johnson County the daughter of Chris I. and Mary (Miller) Helmuth.  She attended East Lincoln rural school.  On October 11, 1953 she was united in marriage to Russell Gnagey at the Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church in rural Kalona.  Lydia worked in housekeeping at the University of Iowa Hospital for many years.  She was a member of the Fairview Mennonite Church and enjoyed word puzzles, quilting, embroidery and playing Skip-Bo.

Survivors include two daughters, Donna (James) Yoder of Kalona, Karen Gnagey of Kalona, one granddaughter, Brandi Ockenfels, one brother, Daniel (Reva) Helmuth, one sister Martha Schrock, four sisters-in-law, Dorothy Helmuth, Gladys Gnagey, Delores (Mahlon) Leichty, and Geraldine (Dale) Widmer.

Preceding Lydia in death were her parents, husband Russell Gnagey on December 8, 2010, daughter Vivian Ockenfels, son-in-law, Eugene Ockenfels, and five brothers, William, Andrew, John, Menno and Eli Helmuth.