Lois M. Hoefs, 74, Wahpeton, ND, died Sunday, August 31, 2008, at, Meritcare Hospital Palliative Care Unit,
Fargo
,
ND
, after a courageous battle with cancer. The Funeral Mass will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, September 4 at
St. John’s
Catholic Church, Wahpeton, with Rev. Dale Lagodinski as celebrant. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. Prayer Service at the Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton and from noon until the time of the service at the church on Thursday. Interment will be at
Calvary
Cemetery
,
Fairmount
,
ND
.
Lois Marie Hoefs was born June 30, 1934, at Wahpeton the daughter of Walter and Helga (Bertelsen) Gebhart. She grew up on a farm north of Fairmount, where she attended school and graduated from
Fairmount
High School
in 1952. Lois worked for Home Gas Company in Wahpeton and on October 26, 1955, she was united in marriage to Gene Hoefs at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Fairmount. The couple lived on the home farm until 1950 when they moved into Wahpeton. In 1970 she started working for
St. John’s
Catholic
School
; 27 years as the secretary-bookkeeper and for 23 of those years as the Religious Education co-coordinator.
Lois has battled cancer with courage and dignity for the past14 years.
Lois was a dedicated member of
St. John’s
Catholic Church, Wahpeton and especially gave of herself for
St. John’s
Catholic
School
where she was the first president of St. John’s Parent-Teacher Organization, was in charge of RICA Program, was involved in Faith Community Workshops throughout the Diocese of Fargo,
and Lois and her husband Gene conducted many pre-marriage programs. Lois will be lovingly remembered for her strong constitution of life, her big heart for the students of
St. John’s
, and especially her love of her grandchildren.
Lois is survived by her husband Gene Hoefs, Wahpeton; two sons and a daughter: Corey (Julie) Hoefs,
Fergus Falls
,
MN
; Holly (Jody) Schuler, Wahpeton; and R. Joseph (Trisha) Hoefs, Grand Forks, ND; seven grandchildren: Michael, Alexia, George Michael, Wil, Benjamin, Eryn and Simon Eugene; her sister, Sharen (LeMoyne) Propp, Andover, MN; and nieces, nephews, cousins and a special former co-worker and friend, Sister Leonida Schmidt.
Lois was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Helga Gebhart.
In lieu of flowers memorials are requested.
Online Guestbook at
www.vertinmunson.com
