Rachel Wenta

ST. JOSEPH – Rachel Wenta, 88, of St. Joseph passed away at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016, at Champaign County Nursing Home, Urbana.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, at Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph, with Pastor Paul Dinges officiating. Burial will be in Mount Olive Cemetery, Mayview. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Rachel was born April 20, 1928, in a farmhouse in Owen, Wis., the daughter of Josef E. Serafia Haapaniemi Bjorn.

She married Joseph Wenta on April 10, 1948, at Great Lakes. He preceded her in death on Dec. 7, 2002.

She is survived by her son, David (Kelly) Wenta of St. Joseph; daughters, Anona Stack of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Sanna (Patrick) King of Winchester, Mo.; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; one sister, Elvie Fredbeck of Gurnee.

She was preceded in death by her parents, six brothers and three sisters.

Rachel worked many years at Champaign County Bank and Trust and Busey Bank and later Collegiate Cap and Gown.

She was a member of the Mayview Methodist Church and later the St. Joseph United Methodist Church. She was a member WSCS out of the Methodist Church. She taught Sunday School and Bible school and Methodist Youth.

She enjoyed baking and won numerous ribbons at the Champaign County Fair.

Rachel and her husband welcomed for many years international students from the University of Illinois into their home.

The family would like to thank Amber Glen, Champaign County Nursing Home, Habour Light Hospice, St. Joseph United Methodist Church, friends and neighbors.

Memorials may be made to the St. Joseph United Methodist Church.