Elizabeth A. Engen, 79, of Sumner, died Friday, September 19, 2014, at her home in Sumner.
Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, September 25, 2014, at St. John Lutheran Church in Sumner with Rev. Susan Friedrich officiating. Interment will follow at the Church Cemetery in Sumner. Friends may call from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 24th at Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Sumner and for one hour preceding services at the church on Thursday. Memorials may be given to St John Lutheran Church, Public Library, and Sunset Theater, all in Sumner and Camp EWALU.
Elizabeth Ann Engen daughter of Edith (Hegarty) and John Cain, was born August 27, 1935, in Stanwood, IA.
She was united in marriage to Dale Tracy in 1961 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Evansville. They were later divorced. She was united in marriage to Harlan “Hank” Engen January 2, 1985. Hank died in August of 2010.
Liz received her BA and MA from UNI and taught at Turkey Valley Community Schools until 1993. She served on the Elections Committee for NEA, was president of the Turkey Valley Education Association and the Northeast Iowa Education Assembly. She was a recipient of ISEA’S Charles F Martin Award. She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church.
Liz enjoyed painting, gardening, and was very active in St. John Lutheran Church.
Liz is survived by two sisters, Patsy Benhart of Iowa City, IA and Martha Thurston of Las Vegas, NV, five children Susan (Dave) Tiedt, Sumner, IA, Georgann (Steve) Malone, Cannon Falls, MN, Mark (Lisa) Tracy, Fon du Lac, WI, Carlos Tracy, Sullivan, WI, and Mike Tracy, Lebanon, MO, and many grand-children and several great grand-children.
In addition to her husband and parents, Liz was preceded in death by a brother, John Jr. in infancy, three brothers-in-law, Sherman Thurston, Chuck Engen, and Eugene Haltmeyer, one son-in-law, Robert Eilers, one daughter-in-law, Lisa Tracy, and nephew, Max Morrison.
