In Memory of Loween M Lansink

Loween M. Lansink, age 85, of Odebolt, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, January 14, 2018, at the Overland Park Regional Medical Center, of Overland Park, Kansas.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, January 19, 2018, at the St. Martin’s Catholic Church of Odebolt, Iowa. Father Joe Dillinger will officiate; with committal services following in the St. Martin’s Catholic Cemetery, of Odebolt, Iowa. A visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., on Thursday, January 18, 2018, at the Christensen – Van Houten Funeral Home, of Odebolt, Iowa. The Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Home of Odebolt, Iowa is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online at www.christensenvanhouten.com

Loween Marlys (Christiansen) Lansink was born January 18, 1932, in Schleswig, IA, the youngest daughter of four children born to Fred and Selma (Erichsen) Christiansen. Loween lived in Iowa her entire life. She grew up on various farms in Crawford, Sac, and Ida Counties where she attended country schools and later graduated high school from the Arthur Public School in Arthur, IA.  

On March 1, 1949, Loween was united in marriage to George W. Lansink at the St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Odebolt, IA. The couple made their home on the family farm south of Arthur where they farmed for many years and also operated the family trucking business “Lansink Transfer and Shelling.” Loween and George were blessed with five children: George E., Brice, Randy, Kent and Brenda, which were their greatest pride and joy. Loween was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and homemaker. In addition to raising five children and one grandson, she was always there to help out with whatever was needed, whether it be helping with the trucking business, doing field work during harvest, taking care of livestock, providing lunches for workers or tending a huge garden and doing tons of canning to help provide. In early years, Loween also worked at the Odebolt Nursing Home as a Nurses Aide caring for residents. She enjoyed her own business ventures as well and delighted in winning a free trip to New York to see the Big Apple and the Twin Towers. After farming for many years, George and Loween moved to Odebolt in 1995, where Loween worked several years as a pizza chef at Casey’s and also as a cook at the Lake View Drive Inn.

Loween enjoyed fishing trips with family, traveling to Hawaii, reading all types of books (especially mysteries), doing word searches, and playing cards and board games. She was an excellent cook and delighted in cooking home cooked meals for her family and friends. She loved peach pie and made the best stuffing, fudge, and cookies for the holidays. But most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. She was so proud of each of her kids and grandkids, and loved sharing in their lives.

Survivors include four children: George E. (Jan) Lansink of Cedar Falls, IA, Randy (Roxanne Morgan) Lansink of Holcomb, KS, Kent (Elkie) Lansink of Manilla, IA, Brenda (Mark) Wallace of Olathe, KS; 8 grandchildren: Josh Lansink, Jeff (Maria) Lansink, Jennifer (Alex) Lansink-Gutt, Stephanie (Neal) Murphy, Austin and Paige Lansink, Braden and Isaac Wallace; 7 step grandchildren: Scott (Heather) Gilroy, Tim (Mindy) Gilroy, Jessica (Shelby) LaFay, April (Matt) Bergner, Jeremey Morgan, Dustin (Lanette) Morgan, and Brittney (Ryan) Owens; 8 great-grandchildren: Alex, Jack, and Drew Lansink, Teal Gutt, Kerriann and Devon Murphy, Kyle and Zach Lansink; 9 step grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Loween was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years George W. Lansink; son Brice Lansink; granddaughter Kristie Lansink; parents Fred and Selma Christiansen; brother Vernon (Martha) Christiansen; sisters Mabel (Harold) Wunschel, and Viola (Raymond) Namanny.