Hulda L. Wicks

Hulda L. Wicks, age 99, of Decorah, Iowa, died Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at Aase Haugen Home in Decorah following a long illness. Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Friday, January 23, 2009 at First United Methodist Church in Decorah by Rev. Carol A. Kress with burial in Canoe German Methodist Cemetery in rural Decorah. Visitation is after 11:30 A.M. Friday at the church, one and a half hours before services. Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is in charge of arrangements. Hulda Louise (Voegeding) Wicks was born September 9, 1909, at home on the family farm in Canoe Township, the daughter of Henry and Mary (Teske) Voegeding. Hulda attended Drake School in Canoe Township and then graduated from Decorah High School. Hulda was united in marriage to Roy “Riley” Wicks on November 18, 1930 in Minneapolis, MN. This union was blessed with three children: Dorothea, Merrill and Darlene. Hulda worked in housekeeping at the Hotel Winneshiek and did sewing for Goetsch’s and McNeil’s in Decorah. She made all the drapery for the Aase Haugen Home and she also made net darning samples for Vanberia for many years. Hulda was a marvelous cook and baked buns and cakes for funerals, church activities and many other family occasions. Hulda and Roy were avid gardeners. They were widely known for raising vegetables, raspberries and especially strawberries, which they sold to local stores and townspeople. Her parents helped establish the Canoe German Methodist Church and Hulda was a charter member there. They later became members of First United Methodist Church in Decorah. She had been very active there and had served as president of the United Methodist Women. Hulda became a resident of the Aase Haugen Home in December 2003. She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy in March of 1974; her parents; one son, Merrill in April 2003; two granddaughters: Margie Willson Ette in 1997 and Valerie Willson French in 2001; two grandsons: Jerry Evjen in 1995 and Randy Berge in 2007; one great-great-granddaughter, Jessica Rock; one brother, Harold Voegeding; and two sisters: Ruth Allert and Mae Witter. Hulda is survived by her two daughters, Dottie Evjen (Ray Kvamme) of Decorah, IA and Darlene Willson (Charles) of Cedar Rapids, IA; eight grandchildren: Davis Evjen of Rochester,MN, Cathy Homstad of Rochester, MN, Julie Bauman of Rochester, MN, Eugene Willson of Cedar Rapids, IA, Beverly Willson of Cedar Rapids, IA, Christine, Ingrid and Patricia of Tacoma, WA; sixteen great grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren.