OLETHA L. BIRKEY

MANSON - Oletha L. Birkey, 87, died Sunday, July 27, 2008, at Manson Good Samaritan Center. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, July 30 at 10:30 a.m. at Manson Mennonite Church in Manson with Pastor Curt Kuhns officiating. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 6 until 8 p.m. at Larson-Weishaar Funeral Home in Manson. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery in Manson.

Survivors include brothers Darwin (Dorothy) Widmer of Washington, IA, Norman (Mary) Widmer of Cape Coral, FL, Larry Widmer of Moline, IL; sisters Verdella Krabill of Goshen, IN, Evelyn (Maynard) Roth Goff of Washington, IA; sisters- in-law Mary Widmer of Goshen, NY, Ruth Widmer of East Peoria, IL; nephews Dorwin (Lauretta) Birkey and Duane (Sherry) Birkey of Manson and Everett (Verda) Birkey of Roanoke, IL. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Vernon in 1994, brothers Delmar, Duane and Donnie; niece Becky Widmer; and nephew Kevin Roth.

Oletha Lucine Widmer was born Nov. 18, 1920 at Noble, IA, to Edward and Edna (Boshart) Widmer. She graduated from Wayland High School in 1939. On May 21, 1944, she was united in marriage to Vernon A. Birkey at Manson, IA. They farmed in the Manson area until 1978. Vernon preceded her in death on Sept. 12, 1994.