Leona D. Wudtke

Leona Dorothea (Frecks) Wudtke, age 94 of McCook, NE passed away Friday January 10, 2020 at Great Plains Medical Center in North Platte, NE.

Leona was born November 14, 1925 in Culbertson, NE to John and Etta (Meints) Frecks.  She grew up on the family farm southwest of Culbertson and was baptized and confirmed in St. John’s Lutheran Church in Culbertson.  Leona’s confirmation verse was “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life”.

On March 8, 1944, Leona married Erwin Wudtke, of Herndon, KS, at St. John’s Lutheran Church.  To this union four children were born; Dennis, Pat, Stan and Sherri.  The couple made their home on the family farm near Herndon until 1955 when they moved to an acreage in Red Willow County. In 1982, Erwin and Leona moved into McCook where they retired.

Leona was a homemaker and also worked at the Red Willow and Republican Valley School Cafeterias for twenty-nine years.  Her hobbies included embroidering, making quilts, and planting beautiful flowers. She was a member of Peace Lutheran Church L.W.M.L and several Bible studies.  Leona moved to Brookdale in 2010.

Leona was preceded in death by parents; husband, Erwin Wudtke; sisters, Marie Frecks, Margaret Michel and Erma Michel; brothers, Ervin (Maxine) Frecks and Alvere (Butch) Frecks; sister in law, Karen Frecks; son in law, Richard Jeanperrin; grandson, Brent Jeanperrin; and daughter in law, Linda Wudtke.

Those left to celebrate her life include her children, Dennis Wudtke of McCook, Stan (Claralynn) Wudtke of McCook, Pat Jeanperrin of Arvada, CO and Sherri Flanagan of Kearney, NE; two brothers, John Frecks of Longmont, CO and Leonard (Dorothy) Frecks of Omaha, NE; sister in law, Pauline Frecks of Culbertson; ten grandchildren, Tami (Tim) Davis, James (Chris) Wudtke, Janelle (Scott) Pelletier, Stacy (Jeremy) Schulte, Alisha (Mark) Fehringer, Courtney, Caitlyn and Cody Wudtke, Chelsie (Casey) Bebensee and Chad (Emmylou) Flanagan; and seventeen great grandchildren Isaac, Isaiah, Gideon and Jotham Davis, Mathias and Braden Schulte, Elisabeth and Ruth Wudtke, Colter, Tyris and Teia Pelletier, Quinn and Olivia Bebensee, Nadine and Emmett Fehringer, Eliott and Kinsley Flanagan.  Also surviving are numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members and dear friends.