Obituary of Audrey Hartwig Lempiainen

AudreyHartwig Lempiainen was born February 4, 1920 in Reading, Minnesota, the daughter of Frank and Evelyn (Wessels) Versluis. As a child, the family moved to a farm near Lake Park and later, to a farm near Harris, Iowa. Audrey graduated from Harris High School in 1937. While in high school, Audrey kept active playing the snare drum and basketball. She was quite proud of winning the free throw contest at a district basketball tournament, winning a box camera. Audrey was united in marriage to Edwin Hartwig. The couple made their home on a farm north of Harris, on the Iowa - Minnesota state line, until moving to Spirit Lake in 1958. Edwin passed away in 1981. Audrey taught tap dance for over twenty-five years, until she broke her leg in 1959. Audrey then began her twenty-three year career as a supervisor at Berkley's, retiring in 1982. Audrey married George Lempiainen in 1982. The couple remained in Spirit Lake, and enjoyed traveling together. Audrey was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake, where she was involved in Circle. She enjoyed crafts and sewing. Audrey passed away Monday, July 7, 2014 at Hilltop Care Center in Spirit Lake. Left to survive her are her husband, George, of Spirit Lake; children, Ron Hartwig (Connie) of Spirit Lake, Sherry Hartwig Easterlin of Hilton Head Island, SC; daughter-in-law, Bonnie Myers Reed of St. James, MN; sister, Shirley Boyer of Lake Park; step-children, Georgette Giest, Darlene Siefken (Don) and Dan Lempiainen (Mary); grandchildren, Rod, Rick, Robert, Lindsey and Travis; great-grandchildren Houston, Inglish, Trevor, Skyler, Shayna, Lawton and Patchin, and great great grandson Rhett. Also surviving are eight step-grandchildren, sixteen step great-grandchildren and four step great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, son, Randy and brother, Kenneth Versluis.