Irma Steinke

Irma E. Steinke, age 94 of Janesville, died on Thursday, May 12, 2011 at the Janesville Nursing Home.   Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 18th at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville with Rev. Dr. Larry Griffin and Vicar Michael Schuette officiating. Interment will be in the Janesville Cemetery.   Visitation will be held on Tuesday afternoon from 4 to 8 p.m. at Arnoldt-McRaith Funeral Home & Crematory in Janesville, and will continue on Wednesday morning for one hour prior to services at church.   Irma Emma was born on March 10, 1917 to August and Emma (Knopf) Berndt in Janesville, Minnesota. She was baptized on March 25, 1917 and confirmed on July 12, 1931 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville. She attended Janesville Public School. On November 25, 1937 she was united in marriage to Orville W. Bergmann at Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville. Irma and Orville farmed in Cumberland, Wisconsin for a short time before returning to Janesville in 1943.  They raised their family and resided in the Janesville Township area. In 1954 Irma began a 29 year career with Birds Eye Foods in Waseca. Following Orville's death in 1977, Irma remained on the farm until moving into town in 1986. On June 19, 1993 Irma married Wilbert Steinke at Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville. Irma and Wilbert resided in LeSueur. Irma returned to Janesville in 2003 following Wilbert's death. She was a lifetime member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville and was very active in the ladies aid and choir. Irma was also a longtime member of the Waseca County Home Extension. She enjoyed reading, quilting, knitting and gardening and time spent with her family and friends.   She is survived by her daughters, Audrey (Frank) Quam, Karen Struck, Charlotte Bergmann, Irene (Jim) Mulcahey and Carol (Scott) Steinberg all of Janesville, Beverly (Roger) Larson of Forest Lake, Rachel (Robert) Wagner of LeSueur and Joan (Brian) Alger of Minneapolis; by her sons, Wallace (Karen) Bergmann of Normal, IL, Peter (Maureen) Bergmann of St. Francis, Chuck (Lola) Bergmann of Spirit Lake IA, and Robert (Kistammah Reddy) Bergmann of Johannesburg, South Africa; by 32 grandchildren and 35 great- grandchildren; by 3 step-children; step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren; by her sisters-in-law, Marvel Bergmann of Cumberland, WI, Hazel Berndt and Florence Berndt, both of Janesville; by her godson, Harlan Erdman of Janesville; by many nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.   She was preceded in death by her husbands, Orville Bergmann on October 10, 1977 and by Wilbert Steinke on December 1, 2003; by an infant son James; by her great granddaughter Lynnea Callison; by her son-in-law Garey Struck; by four brothers and two sisters. Casket Bearers are: Wallace Bergmann, Peter Bergmann, Chuck Bergmann, Robert Bergmann, Harlan Erdman and Leonard Erdman.