Edna (Hauer) VonDielingen

December 28, 1918 – February 3, 2009

Edna Dautenhahn VonDielingen died Tuesday, February 3, 2009, at the age of 90.

Born on December 28, 1918, in Lawton, Oklahoma, she was the daughter of Rev. Edward C. and Rose Marie Zerbe Hauer. She was baptized in the Lutheran parsonage at Lawton, Oklahoma, by her father. The family moved to Perry in June, 1919, where her father was installed as pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christ Church. She attended the Lutheran school through the 8th grade and graduated from Perry high in 1935. Following her graduation, Edna entered St. John’s Lutheran College at Winfield, Kansas, where she was a member of the Sigma Phi Mu literary society, Polyhymnia chorus, girls chorus, and took part in a college play. She took a church worker’s curricula, graduating with a Lifetime Teaching Certificate in 1937.

She taught in Lutheran grade schools in Nortonville and Wichita, Kansas; Temple, Texas; Knoxville, Tennessee; and St. Louis, MO (Holy Cross). She was an active volunteer in each congregation singing in adult church choirs and serving a variety of women’s organizations. While living in Texas she served as editor of the Texas District Lutheran Women’s Missionary League newsletter. After moving to St. Louis, Edna worked for the International Lutheran Laymen’s League as secretary to the executive director from 1964-1984.

Much of Edna’s life was spent living in parsonages, first as a pastor’s daughter and later as the wife of Rev. Daniel Dautenhahn (1941-1979) and as the wife of Rev. Paul H. VonDielingen (1981-2007). In 2002 she and her husband Paul moved to Laclede Groves in Webster Groves, Missouri.

Preceding her in death were both husbands, one sister Ruth VonDielingen (Paul), and one brother Paul Hauer (Jacqueline).

Survivors include: a sister, Esther Hauer Dunklau (Harold), and a brother Ed Hauer (Mary Beth); four children, Elaine Dautenhahn Richter Bryant (Vic), Elisa VonDielingen Schendel (John), David VonDielingen (Joyce), and Karen Dautenhahn Grefe (Robert); ten grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, February 7, 10am at Ascension Lutheran Church, 5347 Donovan Ave., St. Louis, MO 63109. Interment at Saint Trinity Cemetery will follow the service. If desired, please make expressions of sympathy in Edna VonDielingen’s memory to Ascension Lutheran Church or the charity of your choice.