Myrna M. Hentges, 94
Myrna M. Hentges, age 94 of New Hampton, died Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020, at MercyOne New Hampton Medical Center.
A private Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, at Holy Family Parish, New Hampton, with the Rev. Brian Dellaert celebrating the Mass.
Interment was in St. Mary’s Cemetery, New Hampton.
There will not be a public visitation.
Join the family live on the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home Facebook page. In lieu of flowers, memorials are desired to MercyOne New Hampton, Chickasaw County Food Pantry or the American Cancer Society.
Myrna Mae Hentges was born Nov. 1, 1926, in New Hampton, Iowa, the daughter of Harold and Kathleen “Kate” (Murray) Costigan.
Myrna was raised in Lawler and received her education there, graduating from the Lawler High School in 1944.
She met Francis “Shorty” Hentges at a dance in Lawler, and that was fitting for they danced through life together after exchanging vows on April 16, 1947. They knew the ballrooms of Northeast Iowa by heart. Spillville’s Inwood Ballroom was her favorite, but honestly, if she was dancing with Shorty, that’s all that mattered.
Their family grew to include Kathy, Jerry, Colleen and Tom, and Myrna was a caring, kind mother who loved her family first and foremost. Her 71-year marriage to Shorty was filled with many ups, a few downs, but they always enjoyed the good times and endured the heartbreaks together. In their younger years, Myrna and Shorty enjoyed camping with their family, and later in life, they always looked forward to the first week in August because that’s when they would gather with their children and grandchildren at Yellow Lake in Wisconsin.
Myrna worked various part-time jobs when her children were younger, but when Tom began going to school full days, she took a job as deputy auditor of Chickasaw County, and she served the public well — very well — for almost 20 years at the courthouse.
She was the best grandmother, and her grandchildren and their friends loved spending a day at the pool in New Hampton and then going to Myrna’s house because they knew her candy drawer was always full.
Her son, Jerry, passed away from cancer in 2010, and ever since, Myrna’s family took part in “Jerry’s Run” during the weekend of the Twin Cities Marathon. Some would run, some would walk, but what was important was the Hentges family was together and honoring the memory of Jerry.
Myrna remained active into her 90s. Before Shorty died in 2018, they loved going to Chickasaw baseball and football games, and there was no better day than one spent with her family.
For 94 years, she lived a life of compassion, and those that knew her will never forget that Myrna smile.
Although it’s always hard to say goodbye — especially to someone as caring and loving as Myrna — her family and friends know that today she is dancing in Heaven with her beloved Shorty.
Survivors include two daughters, Kathy (Mark) Timlin of Lawler, and Colleen (Paul) Kruger of New Hampton; one son, Tom (Carol) Hentges of Eagan, Minnesota; daughter-in-law, Paula Hentges of Spirit Lake; eight grandchildren, Tera (Ben) O’Malley, Brooke (Aaron) Batchelder, Ryan Timlin, Leah (Jake) Cruze, Heather (Chance) Harvey, Molly Timlin, Jenna Hentges and Matt Hentges; 10 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Ann Grace of Oelwein.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband on Oct. 27, 2018; son, Jerry Hentges; and sister, Helen Jane Henry.
