Lois Caroline Wika Hankins Obit and Service Details
Lois Caroline Hankins of Albert Lea, Minnesota, was born in Clark, South Dakota, to Nels and Lillian Wika on December 7, 1935. She was raised on the family farm. She attended elementary school at the country school one mile from the farm. She was baptized and confirmed at Clark Center Lutheran church at Clark. She attended high school at Augustana Academy, a Christian high school at Canton, South Dakota, graduating in 1953. She was employed from 1953-1955 at Codington-Clark Electric Cooperative in Watertown, South Dakota, as a secretary. In 1955 she enrolled at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, and graduated in 1958. During college she worked as the secretary for the Concordia Concert Choir and Band and other jobs to pay for her college education.
While in college she met Stanley Hankins from Solon Springs, Wisconsin; and they married on November 24, 1957, at Clark, South Dakota. They taught two years at Clark High School before moving to Albert Lea, Minnesota, in 1960. They have lived on an acreage west of Albert Lea since 1964. Lois loved her beautiful flower gardens. Lois did substitute, part-time, and adult education teaching in the Albert Lea school district, ALTEC, Gateway Cooperative Center, and Freeborn High School from 1960 to 1977 during the years she was caring for their four children. From 1977 until 1980 she was employed full time at the Waseca Cooperative Center at Waseca, Minnesota. She completed a two-year medical secretary internship program at Naeve Hospital, Albert Lea. From 1980 to 1997 she was employed full time at what is now the Riverland Community College in Albert Lea as an instructor in the medical secretarial program and other business related classes. Her students were a special joy to her. She loved teaching and returned to substitute at Riverland many times after her retirement.
Lois has always been an active member of her church, which included being a member of the music team. Her faith in Jesus Christ was primary, and Lois and Stan have served as mission coordinators at their church, Our Father’s House, Albert Lea. They have been involved in mission outreaches to Children’s Vision International, a children’s home in Bogota, Colombia; YWAM Hospital Mercy Ships in Latvia; Mexico outreaches; Costa Rica; Okontoe Fellowship in Grand Marais, Minnesota; Los Angeles Inner City mission; a MAPS church building project in Kauai, Hawaii; and Albert Lea Youth for Christ plus cooking for the Youth for Christ Colorado Caravan. Lois and Stan were part of a Monday Night Bible Study group for 35 plus years and also another social group of long-term friends. Lois was thankful for her Christian heritage and wanted to leave that legacy to her family.
Lois enjoyed keeping in contact with her family and friends through e-mail. Her hobby was photo scrapbooking, in which she used the many pictures she took when the family was together. She and Stan have enjoyed bicycling, hiking, and traveling especially to see family and also working together on their acreage.
She is survived by four children: A son Philip (Elizabeth) Hankins of Sacramento, California; daughters: Lynne (Kevin) Hartke of Chandler, Arizona; Renae (Daniel) Roehrs, of Pagosa Springs, Colorado; Lisa (Dan) Malmstrom of Battle Lake, Minnesota; and thirteen grandchildren, four grandchildren-in-law and five great grandchildren: Matthew, Garrett, and Elise Hankins of Sacramento, CA; Nathan (Rachel) Hartke and great grandchildren Micah and Madelyn of Tucson, AZ; Aleah (Todd) Hartke Butler, Katelyn and Zachary Hartke of Chandler, AZ; Tim Roehrs of Waco, TX, Tiffany (Darrin) Roehrs DeBoer and great grandchildren Jasmine, Levi and Titus of Durango, CO; Brianna (Rory) Burnett of Pagosa Springs, CO; Reed Malmstom of Big Sky, Montana; Grant Malmstrom of San Diego, CA; and Evan Malmstrom of Battle Lake, MN.
Lois was one of 12 children. She is also survived by one sister and one brother: Joyce Thies, Sacramento, California; and Glenn (Cindy) Wika, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and sisters-in-law Marbeth Wika, Clark, South Dakota; Mary Wika of Watertown, South Dakota. She is also survived by many family members. There are about 400 in the immediate family since it began in 1912.
She was preceded in death by her husband Stan in 2013, her father in 1979, her mother in 1983, five brothers: Norm Wika in 1992, Emmett Wika in 2000, LeRoy Wika in 2003, Alvin Wika in 2006, Maurice Wika in 2009; and four sisters: Mildred Cochrane in 2000, Orva Huffman Schwartz in 2002, Nora Davis in 2007 and Sylvia Mears-Davis in 2012. She was also preceded in death by six brothers-in-law Jack Davis, George Huffman, Clifford Schwartz, Ralph Cochrane, Bill Thies and Frank Davis, and sisters-in-law Ruth Wika, Darlene Wika, Norma Wika and Deloris (Wink) Wika.
Lois went to join Jesus on February 13, 2014 in Chandler, AZ after a 1 ½ year battle with ovarian cancer. A Memorial Service will be held at Trinity Christian Fellowship, 50 S McQueen, Chandler on Monday, February 17, 2014 at 10:30 a.m.
A future service will be held at Our Father’s House in Albert Lea, MN on Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 4:00 pm.
Memorials can be given to Children’s Vision International, Bogota, Colombia or to Albert Lea Youth for Christ.
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A huge thank you to my mother for having this already finished. I only had to make a few small changes.