Lorene Hastings, age 91 of Northfield, MN and formerly of Iowa Falls, passed away on Thursday, October 5th at the Reflections Care Suites in Northfield, MN. Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M. Monday, October 9th at the Surls Funeral Home in Iowa Falls with burial in the Union Cemetery. Visitation will be one half hour before services on [more]
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Memorials may be given to the Bethany Lutheran Church in Iowa Falls or Pathways of Faith Park at the Northfield Retirement Center.
Lorene Lucille (Rockow) Hastings (age 91) passed away Thursday, October 5 at Reflections Care Center in Northfield, Minnesota surrounded by her children. She was born in Williams, Iowa on February 18, 1926 to Frank and Martha (Beyer) Rockow. Lorene grew up on the family farm northwest of Williams, Iowa and graduated from Williams High School and Ellsworth Community Jr. College in Iowa Falls.
In 1946 Lorene married Donald Hastings. Together they built a home in Iowa Falls where she continued to live for over sixty years. They raised three children, Peggy, Ronald and Deborah. Lorene helped keep the bookwork for Hastings Sinclair Station. After Donald's passing in 1987, Lorene began working in the bakery at Hy-Vee in Iowa Falls. She retired after 22 years at the age of 84. She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church and the American Legion Auxiliary. Lorene spent the last 3 1/2 years in Northfield, Minnesota to be near her daughter, Deb.
Lorene loved to work hard whether it was her early morning shifts at HyVee or chipping away at ice in the middle of the night. She enjoyed traveling all over the United States. On one of the trips to New York City, she was chosen to do a makeover on the Today Show. Lorene's games of hearts were a family favorite and she got a kick out of beating her grandchildren. With a little shrug of the shoulders, she acted like she didn't expect to win, but we knew she really did. She spent months collecting and wrapping gifts for herChristmas bingo games. Her reaction when the packages were opened was priceless. But most of all, she loved taking care of her children and grandchildren and supporting them in their activities and was proud of them all.
Lorene was preceded in death by her father and mother, husband Donald, brothers Herbert Rockow and Leonard Rockow, and sister Velma (Rockow) Christensen. She is survived by daughter Peg and husband John Phelps of Hastings, Iowa, Ron Hastings of Iowa Falls, Iowa, and Deb and husband Rod Christensen of Northfield, Minnesota. Lorene had 8 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren: Jess Phelps, wife Liz and daughters Maggie and Paige of Burlington, VT, Katelyn (Phelps) McGann and husband Tim of Malvern, IA, Molly (Phelps) Reed and husband Ryan of Omaha, NE, Jason Hastings, wife Leigh and son Emmett of Aurelia, IA, Ryan Hastings, wife Cathy and children Chloe and Carson of Iowa Falls, Dane Christensen, wife Sakun and son Anders of Tacoma, WA, Peter Christensen of St. Paul, MN and Tim Christensen, wife Kristen and son Oliver of Minneapolis, MN. Lorene also leaves behind many nieces and nephews, other family members and friends.