Mary Ellen Fett (Wennblom)

SIOUX CITY -- After putting up a good fight and battling serious illnesses, Mrs. Mary Ellen Fett, 82, of Sioux City died Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010, in her apartment at Northern Hills Assisted Living with daughter, Sherry, at her bedside.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 3, at Morningside Lutheran Church. The Rev. Tom LoVan will officiate. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home.
Mary Ellen was born Jan. 12, 1928, in Elk Point, S.D., the daughter of Ruben M. and Eda S. (Hagen) Wennblom. She was raised in Elk Point and graduated from Elk Point High School in 1944. She then attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., and N.B.T. Business School in Sioux City.
On May 31,1952, she married Philip Fett in Elk Point. After their marriage, they made their home in Sioux City. Mary Ellen worked as a receptionist and secretary for several businesses in Sioux City, including The Sioux City Stockyards, Travelers Insurance Company, Salsness Buick, Sioux City School Board, Concordia Lutheran Church and First Federal Savings and Loan. She also worked as a telemarketer for MCI , at Lutheran Social Services and for the A.I.D. center. Perhaps most enjoyable was her working with her son, Curt, as his assistant and in sales for Fett Insurance. Even in her elder years, she worked for Legal Aid until she had to resign herself due to health.
Mary Ellen's life was centered on her faith in God, and it became her greatest legacy to her family. She lived her life as a witness to the Lord. She was very active in the Morningside Lutheran Church, where she served as a leader of the Prayer Fellowship, was active in circle, sang in the choir, and taught Sunday school. She was a member and served as an officer of Women Aware, Scandinavian Club and American Business Women's Club. She also did volunteer work for Sioux City Gospel Mission.
She nurtured music and the arts in her children and organized them into a performing group that entertained at nursing homes, churches and other events around Siouxland. She loved square dancing and even got her sons into a child's performing square dance group called the Sioux City Mini Squares. In her last years, she loved spending time with her friends at the Senior Center and also living and going on outings with friends from Northern Hills Assisted Living. She was the "unofficial greeter" with a special corner in the lobby where she spent most of her days so she could welcome and show care to all who passed by. She loved life and lived it to the fullest, and miraculously bounced back after knocking on death's door several times because she wanted to help people.
She is survived by her children, her daughter, Sheryl Fett-Petekavich of Sioux City, two sons and their wives, the Rev. Randal and Jan of Grand Island, Neb., Curtis and Sylvia of Waukee, Iowa; eight grandchildren and two spouses, Eve, Amy and Tom Petekavich, Corey and wife, Kristen Fett, Andy Fett, Heather (Fett) Rice and husband, Dustin Rice, Joshua and Julia Fett; her sister, Leora Chicoine of Jefferson, S.D.; her sister in law, Wilma Wennblom of Elk Point; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Eda and Reuben Wennblom; her husband, Philip Fett; brother, Raymond Wennblom; and a sister, Mildred Fennel.
Her grandchildren will serve as pallbearers.