Kathleen E. “Kay” Bogenrief, 97, of rural Merrill, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at the Good Samaritan Village in Le Mars. Funeral services will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, August 28, 2017 at Merrill Melbourne United Methodist Church, rural Merrill, Iowa. Rev. Kolleen Queener will officiate. Burial will follow at Floyd Valley Cemetery, rural Merrill, Iowa. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 27, 2017 at the Mauer – Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. The family will be present from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to the funeral service on Monday. Expressions of sympathy may be directed through www.mauerjohnsonfh.com

Kathleen Edith Bogenrief was born on October 3, 1919 in Scotland, South Dakota, the daughter of Gustave and Barbara (Keck) Becker. She attended school in Scotland, graduating in 1937. Kay furthered her education at Western Union (Westmar) College in Le Mars. After earning her two year degree she taught school in Cornell. After finishing her four year degree, she taught music, history and English in elementary through high school in Swea City, Scotland (SD) Public, Hinton Consolidated, Merrill Public, and finished teaching elementary music in Merrill for Le Mars Community; retiring in 1980. Throughout those years, she completed graduation work at Drake University, University of South Dakota and Morningside College.

Kay met Jim Bogenrief at Western Union College. They were united in marriage on September 19, 1942 at Hildreth Memorial Evangelical Church in Le Mars. They made their home on a farm near Merrill, Iowa.

Kay was an active member of the Merrill Melbourne United Methodist Church. She was the organist for 60 years, taught Sunday School, lead the youth group, and was a camp counselor. Kay was past president of the United Methodist Women and served on the UMW and other boards in the district. She was a joint Plymouth Peppers 4-H leader for 20 years. Kay served on the Area IV Agency for the Aging as its secretary, vice-president and president. Kay was also the secretary and treasurer of the Brentwood Good Samaritan Auxiliary.

Grateful to have shared her life is her husband of nearly 75 years, James Bogenrief of rural Merrill, IA; a son, Richard and his partner, Jill Wigton of Merrill, IA; a daughter, Kathy Moore and her husband, David of Le Mars, IA; a son, David and his wife, Margarete of Mauthausen, Austria; a daughter-in-law, Gretchen Bogenrief of Alexandria, VA; grandchildren, Lara (Shawn) Brant of Severna Park, MD, Abigail Bogenrief of Alexandria, VA, Ben Bogenrief of Washington, D.C. and Erica Jimenez of Merrill, IA; great-grandchildren, Dana and Stephen Brant; nieces, Nanmarie (Mike) Kucher and Barb Goll of Washington State; extended family, Curtis and Karyn Brinkmeyer of Hubbard, IA and Roger and Theresa Boettcher of Prior Lake, MN.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and her sister and husband Verna and Norman Goll.

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