Irene Carol Wiken

Irene Carol (Timm) Wiken was born to George and Gertrude (Brand) Timm on August 23, 1928 in Adrian Township.  She was baptized and confirmed at West Sveadahl Lutheran Church. She married Donald O. Wiken on January 27, 1952 at West Sveadahl Lutheran Church.  After their marriage, Albion Lutheran Church became her church for the rest of her life.

Mom was a “prayer warrior” and we found several sheets of paper with names of people for whom she prayed for.  There was also notations of thank you for prayers answered.  When we went through her Bible there was a list of favorite songs that were written down and marked with a “star” that were special to her.  There are numerous favorite Bible passages, notations and markings throughout her Bible, which made it hard to choose from but provided us with a lot of guidance.

Mom loved to be outside driving the gator, sitting on the ground digging out weeds or moving mounds of dirt from pocket gophers. She then would ask “where is there a hole that I should put the dirt in”.  We would find bushel baskets, pails etc. all over the place with the weeds she had dug out.

Her love for God and family were great.  She loved playing Uno, Skip-Bo and other card games with family.  She enjoyed the phone visits with her sister, family and friends.  They maybe would say I don’t know anything but 1-2 hours later they finally would say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye…  There never was just one goodbye, always several and I love you.

Irene Carol Wiken age 94, of rural Hanska, Minnesota died on November 16, 2022, at New Ulm Medical Center in New Ulm, Minnesota, surrounded by her family.

Irene is survived by her daughters, Cindy (Keith) Brekken and Chris (Michael) Nordby; grandchildren, Jeremy (Ashley) Brekken, Travis (Kelli Tucholke) Brekken, Jon Craig, Zachariah (Holly) Nordby, Chatrina Huddleston, Michaela Nordby; great-grandchildren, Sara and Barbara Craig, Alexis, Jorgen, Aralyn and Jilien Brekken,  Aubriana and Leila Huddleston, Bjorn and Odin Nordby; sister, Celeste Benge, along with many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Wiken; granddaughter, Heidi Craig; brothers, Norbert (Diane) Timm, Gilbert Timm; brothers-in-law, Irvin Benge, Alwyn (Eunice) Wiken, and sister-in-law, Ina (Gus) Sunstrom.

In lieu of flowers or plants, memorials to Albion Lutheran Cemetery would be honoring mom’s wishes as she would say “I want my flowers when I am alive.”