Berdena Anna Nemitz

Berdena “Dena” Anna Nemitz was born June 9, 1929, the daughter of Fred and Rose (Trenkelbach) Kollbaum. She was the 13^th child out of 14 children. Dena passed away March 30^th, 2024 at Gracewell Nursing Home in Denison, Iowa at the age of 94 years.

Dena was born in Schleswig, Iowa and received her education in area country schools.

On February 23, 1947, she was united in marriage to Earl Boger in Hiawatha, Kansas and were blessed with four children: Norman, Edward, Kenneth and Vickie. They parted in 1966. On October 2, 1968 she married William Nemitz. They lived and farmed south of Arthur, then retired to Storm Lake. After William passed away November 8, 1980, Dena moved to Denison.

Growing up she had several jobs. Starting on the family farm helping with siblings, livestock, and crops. As a young adult, she and several of her sisters cleaned homes, hanging wallpaper and painting, canning fruits and vegetables, butchering chickens and cleaning several businesses. She enjoyed playing her banjo, guitar, and singing with her kids. Later on, she sold Studio Girl Cosmetics and Stanley Home Products and owned and operated two Taverns: D&E in Arthur and Dena’s Place in Boyer She worked in several cafes, and enjoyed helping out at John’s Steakhouse in Schleswig and Cronk’s Café in Denison; she stopped working at the age of 83. She was also a caregiver for 3 of her siblings.

She was a very active lady especially with all of her fun-loving hobbies: card games, bowling, playing marbles, bingo, going to the Casino, scratch lotto tickets, watching game shows, westerns, wrestling and attending her grandchildren’s sports activities.

Dena was a sincere child of God, who loved her church. She was the President of Bowling Association and President of several church groups throughout her Christian life.

Dena was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Earl in 1972; second husband, William in 1980; two sons: Norman and his wife Sandy and Edward and his wife Paulette; one grandson, Tracy; five brothers: Freddie, Raymond, John, Alvin (Al) and Marvin (Dickie); eight sisters: Marie Prussing, Hilda Paulsen, Viola Kollbaum, Irene Johnson, Mable Christiansen, Esther Lackman, Margaret Wissink and Rose Nielsen. Survivors include her son, Kenneth (Connie) Boger of Ida Grove; daughter, Vickie Hember of Cherokee; son-in-law, John Hember of Quimby; daughter-in-law, Penny Boger of Florida; 12 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; 11 great-great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation with Family Greeting Friends will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. with her funeral service beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 4, 2024 at Zion Lutheran Church in Densison. Interment will be in Crawford Heights Memory Gardens in Denison. Memorials may be directed to the family.