Elda Anna (Maassel) Dehnbostel was born on January 6, 1920 to William and Amelia (Arps) Maassel on their farm in Monroe Township, Henry County, Ohio.
The doctor did not arrive in time for her birth, so her grandfather assisted in the delivery.
She grew up in a multi-generational household, and spoke only German until she attended school.
In the winter, she would skate the Turkeyfoot Creek to the one-room schoolhouse.
After completing high school in 1938 she graduated from International Business College in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
On October 31,1942 she married Rudolph Dehnbostel. They were married at St. John Lutheran Church, Freedom Township by the Reverend George Maassel, Elda’s uncle.
They were members of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Wauseon and later at Christ Lutheran Church in Yuma, Arizona. She was actively involved in both churches. Elda enjoyed reading, quilting and gardening.
Before retiring she worked for many years at Detwiler Memorial Hospital and Fulton County Health Center. After retirement she and Rudy enjoyed traveling in their motor home. She also traveled to Singapore to attend her oldest grandson’s wedding.
Surviving Elda are her four children, Barbara Servos of Fort Wayne, IN, Mary Meese of Vacaville, CA, Jerry Dehnbostel (Lita) of Haines City, FL / Wauseon, OH, and Sue Talmage of Ross, CA; eight grandchildren, Marc, Michael, Tony, Amy, Kristy, Brooke, Bill and John; 11 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren and a sister, Helen Imbrock, and brother Louis (Jean) Maassel.
She was preceded in death by her husband Rudolph, sister Edna Panning and brother Raymond Maassel, two sons-in-law, Ken Meese and Bill Talmage, and two grandchildren, Shelby and Susan Meese.
A celebration of life is scheduled for June 19th, at 1:30pm at St. Luke Lutheran Church, Wauseon
