Elsa Margarete Kohnke, age 95, of Osage, Iowa, died Wednesday, May 1, 2002, at the Osage Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Osage.

She was born Dec. 6, 1906, in Diekdorf, Germany. She was raised in Heiligenstedten, Germany. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Marien Lutheran Church in Heiligenstedten. She worked in Hamburg, Germany, until the age of 23. She came to the United States on Jan. 26, 1929. Elsa was united in marriage to Herman Kohnke Sr. on Oct. 14, 1933, in Clayton Center, Iowa. They served as maid, butler, and chauffeur until 1940. They began farming in 1941. She lived on farms in Postville, Manly, and Mona, Iowa, until retirement. She moved to Osage, Iowa, in 1980. She was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Osage. She resided at the Osage Rehabilitation and Health Care Center since October of 1999. Up until that time she lived alone at her home in Osage. She enjoyed gardening, crocheting, and tatting. Elsa will be sadly missed by her family and friends.

Survivors include her son, John Kohnke and his wife Pauline of Glenville; two granddaughters: Monica Wallace and her husband Shon of Elko, Minn., and Marnie Thompson and her husband Scott of Albert Lea; grandson, Jay Kohnke and his wife Shelly of Austin; and great-grandchildren: Nathan Kohnke, Andrew Thompson, and Anna and Nathan Wallace.

Elsa was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Herman Kohnke Sr.; son, Herman Kohnke Jr.; and one sister and one brother.

Funeral services were at 1:30 p.m. Monday, May 6,

at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 833 Ash St., Osage, with the Rev. Dennis Hanson and the Rev. Roy Ott officiating. Interment was in the Osage Cemetery. Visitation was from 5-7 p.m. Sunday at the Champion – Bucheit Funeral Home, 702 State St., Osage, and one hour before services at the church.