M. Louise Wehde

M. Louise Wehde
Louise Simmon Wehde was born on December 22, 1938, in Oto, Iowa. Her family moved to Sioux City when she was four, where she would grow up and graduate from college.
She and her two younger brothers kept their rural connection, though, spending time with her grandparents and aunts on the family farm near Oto. Louise reminisced most about the homemade bread and butter, eating peas fresh from the pod while in the garden, sketching and painting outside.
Louise graduated high school as a salutatorian and attended Morningside College on an academic scholarship. A true beauty with a sweet personality, her peers selected her for a few royalty honors and social club memberships. Yet, Louise always cultivated sincere and loyal friendships over those with social status.
While she also dated others during high school and college. she found Jerry to be the sensitive, generous, and caring man she hoped for, and a great dancer. They married at the church down the street from her home in 1961with just $100 between them.
Louise chose a teaching career because it offered her the most opportunity to share her love of art. She taught her first kindergartners in one corner of a gym due to overcrowded classrooms.
Now with daughter Sue Ellen, the Wehdes moved to Omaha in 1968 where Louise taught mostly kindergarten at two Ralston elementary schools. Jerry joked that she didn't want to teach older grades because the students might be taller than she! Louise brought creativity, calmness, and commitment to each of her students whether their parents were active in PTA or struggling in subsidized housing. She retired in 1999, then continued to substitute for another decade.
In adult life, Louise most enjoyed decorating her homes, painting, sewing, crafting with friends, shopping, traveling with Jerry, and spending time with her family. A special gift was the birth of her only grandchild, Cara, in 2003. Louise shared many songs, books, games, and art sessions to enrich Cara's young life.
After Jerry's passing in 2016, Louise maintained her home and independence in Omaha until 2020. She moved to Austin to be closer to Sue Ellen, husband Robert Jackson, and Cara when the time was right for her. She is also survived by her brother, Larry Simmon, of Springfield, Missouri, a loving extended family, and countless friends.
A memorial service at Triumphant Love Lutheran Church in Austin will occur at a later date.
Memorials may be made to either the Sioux City Art Center (www.siouxcityartcenter.org) or to the Teacher Grants Program Fund at Ralston Schools Foundation (www.ralstonschoolsfoundation.org).