EUNICE WIEDERHOEFT

EUNICE WIEDERHOEFT 11/12/1933 - 05/18/2025 Eunice Marlene Wiederhoeft, 91, of Prior Lake, formerly of St. James, died on May 18, 2025, at Methodist Hospital in Saint Louis Park. A memorial service will be held at First Lutheran Church in St. James on Thursday, May 29, 2025, at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery in St. James. Arrangements are with Sturm Funeral Home in St. James. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com. Eunice was born on November 12, 1933, to Ervin and Evelyn (Sorensen) Wright in rural St. James. She attended District 2 and District 66 grade schools and graduated from St. James High School in 1951. After graduation, she worked as a bookkeeper and receptionist at the Plaindealer Publishing Company in St. James until 1953. She later served as a secretary and receptionist at Investors Diversified Services for five years, and then spent a year as a bookkeeper for Diets of Rochester, a branch of Tony Downs Foods. On April 26, 1958, Eunice married Delbert Wiederhoeft at First Lutheran Church in St. James. The couple made their home in Lewisville, where they lived for all 45 years of their marriage. In 1961, they purchased and operated the Lewisville Gamble Store, which they ran until 1974. Eunice then began a long career with the U.S. Postal Service, serving as a part-time flexible (PTF) clerk in the Lewisville Post Office for 13 years. During that time, she also worked part-time in the Mankato, St. James, and Truman Post Offices. In 1985, she stepped in as Officer in Charge at the Granada Post Office for four months during a Postmaster vacancy. In 1987, Eunice was officially installed as the Postmaster in Lewisville, a position she held until her retirement in 1999. Deeply committed to her community and faith, Eunice was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Truman, where she served on multiple committees, the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (WELC), the Rachel Circle, and the church council. She was also a member of the Lewisville Legion Auxiliary, the Wednesday Club, and enjoyed playing the washboard in the Lewisville Kitchen Band. In 2009, Eunice sold her home in Lewisville and moved to a townhome in St. James. She renewed her membership at First Lutheran Church, where she had been baptized, confirmed, and married. In 2022, she moved to Prior Lake to live with her daughter, Nadine and son-in-law, Dave. Eunice is survived by two daughters, Nadine (Dave) Elbon of Prior Lake and Roxanne Wiederhoeft of Packwaukee, Wis.; four granddaughters, Brianna Elbon of Minneapolis, Christine (Darin) Wieneke of Adrian, Erica Hill of Adrian, and Tamera (Garret) Schutz of Sioux Falls, S.D.; five great-grandchildren; sister, Eunella (Nellie) Wright of St. James; brother, Eldon (Jolene) Wright of Mankato; in-laws, Irene Wright of St. James, Joni Wright of Cottage Grove, Myrna and Gary Thomas of Blaine, Glenn and Bonnie Borchert of Morristown, and Ken and Audrey Tate of Mankato; and many nieces and nephews. Eunice was preceded in death by her husband, Delbert; her parents, mother-and father-in-law, Emil and Paulina Wiederhoeft; sisters, Elaine Panzer and Eldora Wolle; brothers, Elwood Wright and Everette Wright; and sisters-and brothers-in-law, Bill Panzer, Cliff Wolle, Ardella (Cliff) Ronnei, Lorraine Tate, Wilmer Griffth, Beverly Borchert, Millie (Bill) Farris, Elaine (Bernard) Glienke, Harold (Vangie) Wiederhoeft, Luverna (Elmer) Kopiscke, and Delvin Wiederhoeft. Eunice will be remembered as someone who brought joy wherever she went - a people person with a quick wit, a love for life, and a heart that cherished time spent with family and friends. Her warmth, laughter, and genuine care for others left a lasting impression on everyone who knew her.