Katherine Bodenbender

Three days before her 112th birthday, Katherine “Katie” Bodenbender died. On Easter Sunday, April 16, 2017, Katherine rose to her heavenly home. A visitation is from 4 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, April 21st, at Wendt Funeral Home, Moline. A worship service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, Moline, at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, April 22nd. Burial will follow at Moline Memorial Park. A time of fellowship and a luncheon will be held after the graveside service. Katherine was born April 19, 1905, in Marburg, Germany, the third of six children of Christine Klee and Otto Zschocke. As a teenager and young adult, Katie was employed in the home of a prominent German surgeon where she began developing homemaker, child care, and cooking skills. Prior to her immigration to America, Katie worked in the home of an English countess. It was here that Katherine acquired additional skills of reading and speaking English. In 1930, Katherine came to Moline because Henry Bodenbender, from Niederweimar, Germany, a town neighboring Marburg, was waiting for her here. Henry had come to America the previous year. In the first week, seeking employment, Katie read the job ads and responded to an advertisement for a job cooking in a Moline home. Katie got the job – in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Deere Wiman, the President of Deere and Company, and the home was Overlook, the Deere-Wiman House. Katie and Henry were married in Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rock Island, and later became members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Moline. Katherine and Henry worked for the Wimans for approximately eight years until they purchased a grocery store at 10th Street and 14th Avenue. Katie was in the store daily, meeting the needs of the people in the neighborhood, while Henry, at Overlook, became Mr. Wiman’s personal valet. In 1938, they built Katy’s Grocery Store on 7th Street and 27th Avenue. They also raised a family of four children – Reinhardt, Katherine, Arthur, and Andrew. Katie continued to work in the store until she was 80 years old. Katherine’s priorities were God, family, and service to others. The home was always open to neighbors, friends, and business associates. Katherine and her husband were very generous and placed high value on being of help to others, including their immediate and extended family and friends in Germany during the post-World War II years. Katie was a full time mother and business owner. She also fulfilled her passions of developing and maintaining a flower garden at a professional level in the yard adjoining the store, cooking special meals for her family, knitting, crocheting, and making hooked rugs. She took up driving at age 72, and purchased a car after Henry’s death in 1977. Additional activities included swimming and traveling until the age of 95. Katie lived in her own home with some limitations in mobility related to hip fractures at ages 100 and 105. She was sustained daily by her unwavering faith in God and her commitment to and trust in her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Music, prayer, profession of articles of faith and Bible verses she memorized, especially Psalm 121, as well as verses of hymns and German folk songs that she had sung since childhood, were part of Katie’s everyday life. In reflecting upon her life, Katherine often said, “I’ve had a full, full busy life” and “As I look back over my life, I can see that God has always been going before me and leading me.” Katherine is survived by her children: Reinhardt of Vienna, Virginia, Katherine of Moline, and Arthur and his wife, Louann, of Moline. In addition, she is survived by 8 grandchildren: Maria (Chris) Bodenbender-Benner of Moline, Kurt of Bahia de Banderas, Mexico, Karl of Moline (Catherine-separated-of Rock Island), Andy (Lalanya) of Squires, Missouri, Julianna (Matthew) Bassman of Westminster, Colorado, Melissa Bodenbender of Las Vegas, Nevada, Philip (Britt) of Delta, British Columbia, Canada, and Steven (Jocelyn) Terrace of British Columbia, Canada. Granddaughter Christine Bodenbender is deceased. There are 13 surviving great-grandchildren: Peter, Mathilde, Karolina, and Isolde Bodenbender-Benner of Moline, Josef and Rosemary Bodenbender of Moline/Rock Island, Henry and Bradyn Bassman of Westminster, Colorado, Cora, Hudson, and Esme Bodenbender of Delta, British Columbia, Canada, and Grace and Katarina Bodenbender of Terrace, British Columbia, Canada. Great-grandchildren Lilie Bodenbender and Viktor Bodenbender-Benner are deceased. Survivors also include two nephews and four nieces in Germany, and one niece in Switzerland. Katherine was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Hans, Kurt, Arthur, Anna, and Marie; sister and twin brothers in infancy; her husband Henry; daughter-in-law Marilyn Bodenbender; and son Andrew. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in memory of Katherine, to Blessed Beginnings, Trinity Lutheran Church, Moline; Handicapped Development Center, Davenport, Iowa 52809; Samaritan’s Purse, Boone, North Carolina 28607; or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38015-3678.

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