Loretta Lee

1935 - 2021

Loretta Lee 85, died May 3, 2021 at Schowalter Villa in Hesston, Kansas. She was born on September 15, 1935 to William and Anna Schroeder Wohlgemuth. She was raised on a wheat farm in the Oklahoma Panhandle near the town of Hooker.

She was the oldest of five children, surviving her siblings James Wohlgemuth, Ruth Wohlgemuth, Violet Dick, and Willis Wohlgemuth.

When she was in the third grade, she became aware of her need to have her sins forgiven. In either 5th or 6th grade, she believed in Jesus Christ for eternal life.

Loretta attended Adams Mennonite Brethren Church in Adams, OK.

After her senior year in high school, she attended Grace Bible Institute in Omaha for three years graduating with a diploma. After Grace, she went on to John Brown University in northwest Arkansas where she majored in Elementary Education.

It was at John Brown where she met her future husband, Thomas Lee. Loretta and Thomas were married on August 7, 1959 and celebrated 61 years together.

Loretta taught school in Richardson, TX – a suburb of Dallas – schooling 5th grade students for 19 years before taking an early retirement from Richardson and moving on to Schofeld Christian School in Dallas where she taught kindergarten for another 9 years.

They retired and moved to Hesston in 2007. Loretta worked at the Hesston Day Care Center for more than five years.

Loretta entered the Health Care Unit of Schowalter Villa in December of 2018 before passing away on May 3, 2021.

Visitation will be 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday May 14th with the family receiving friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Petersen Funeral Home. Graveside committal service will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, May 15, 2021 at Hesston City Cemetery with Pastor Matt Kruse presiding. A celebration of life memorial service will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday May 16, 2021 at Newton Bible Church.

Memorials may be made to Newton Bible Christian School in Care of Petersen Funeral Home.