Loyola Hemker

Loyola M. "Lola" Hemker, age 87, of Freeport, died peacefully on Sunday, July 4, 2010 surrounded by her family at the Melrose Area Hospital in Melrose, Minnesota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 8 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Freeport with Rev. Roger Klassen, O.S.B. officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. on Thursday at the church in Freeport.

Loyola Marie Hofmann was born September 4, 1922 in Albany, Minnesota to Frank and Gertrude (Ohmann) Hofmann. On January 23, 1945 she married Virgil Hemker at Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Albany, Minnesota. She was a Den Mother and Cub Scout leader for several years. She taught CCD for many years in Freeport. Lola was a homemaker all her life and being a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were the things she cherished the most. Lola was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Freeport, Christian Mothers and Catholic Order of Foresters Holy Rosary Court #532.

Survivors include her children, Mary "Cathie" Butkowski of St. Joseph, Jim (Jean) Hemker of Freeport and Therese "Terry" (Michael) O'Connell of Eden Prairie; 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Joan Hemker of Freeport; brother and sisters, Robert (Darlene) Hofmann of Cottage Grove, MN, Helen Crowe of WI, Clara Baggenstoss of IA, and Mary Ann St. Arnault of CO; and sister-in-law, Marilyn Hofmann of St. Cloud, MN.

Lola was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Virgil Hemker; son, Mark Hemker; sisters, Jane Hogan, Florence Pietraszewski and Monica Schmidt; brothers, Tony, Victor, Joe, Vernon, Larry and Pat Hofmann.

Serving as casket bearers will be Michael Butkowski, Jamie Hemker, Heidi Roering, Paul O'Connell, Julie Hemker, and Luxmi O'Connell. Cross bearer will be Blake Hemker and scripture bearer will be Kaylee O'Connell. Serving as gift bearers will be Jacqueline Hemker, Anne Hemker, and Marcus Hemker. Readers will be Ryan Hemker and Meaghan Hemker.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Sacred Heart Parish in Freeport.