Elizabeth Fonken

Elizabeth Fonken, age 95, a longtime resident of the Willow Lake community, died on Wednesday morning, July 7, 2010, at the Golden Living Center in Clark following a lengthy illness. She was the widow of William Fonken. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 10, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. at the United Presbyterian Church in Willow Lake. Pastor Donna Nickels will officiate and burial will follow in the Collins Cemetery at Willow Lake. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday at the church in Willow Lake and prior to the service on Saturday. She was born on May 2, 1915 at Ellsworth, MN, the daughter of Anneus and Topke Teddie (Reemts) Meester. Her family moved to South Dakota in 1926 where she attended country school. On July 3, 1944 she married William Fonken at Clark. To this union five children were born, Dale, Kay, Ronald, Lowell and Allen. After their marriage the couple lived in Willow Lake. For a short time, Liz worked in a caf in Willow Lake. After her husbands death in 1989, she continued living in Willow Lake in her own home until moving to the apartments in Willow Lake, then to South Park assisted living in Bryant, later to the Wookey Center in Clark and then in April of 2006 to the Golden Living Center at Clark. In her younger years she enjoyed dancing in the Dance Hall at Melham, SD and trying to ride a stubborn Shetland pony! She enjoyed fishing, listening to the Minnesota Twins on the radio and on the television. She enjoyed crocheting and her flower gardens, being a charter member of the Willow Lake Park Club also. Liz will long be remembered for her love of baking, especially her peanut butter cookies. Carving of the turkey was a specialty for Liz, showing and teaching many the tricks of the trade! Preceding her in death were her parents, husband, William on August 4, 1989, brothers, Joe A., Tom and Jack Meester, sisters, Grace Wilkins and Alice Newman and a brother, Dan Meester. Grateful for having shared in her life are her children, Dale (Carol) Fonken of Willow Lake, Kay (Jim) Mahlen of Clark, Ronald (Terri) Fonken of Ham Lake, MN, Lowell (Cindy) Fonken of Romance, Arkansas and Allen (Lori) Fonken of Wichita, KS, 11 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. The Furness Funeral Home of Clark is in charge of arrangements where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com