Edna Bender

Edna V. Bender, of Howards Grove, passed away on Monday, September 4, 2017, just two days shy of her 97th birthday.
Edna was born September 6, 1920 to the late Otto and Olga (nee Stecker) Brendel. Edna was baptized, confirmed and married at Trinity Lutheran Church of Howards Grove and was currently a member of Zion Lutheran Church in New Holstein.
She married Erwin Bender on September 15, 1937 and together they had five children.
In 1947 Edna and her husband built the first restaurant in Howards Grove, WI. They named it the Log Cabin.
After her husband's death in 1950 Edna sold the Log Cabin and began to work for Tecumseh. But Edna's passion was always food; it was her life. She loved to cook for family and friends. In 1972, She open Bender's Steak House in Newton, WI (now the Packer Inn). She operated the steakhouse until 1978.
In 1982 Edna began a new adventure and moved west to Scottsdale, AZ. There she used her culinary knowledge and worked as a cook for Judson College. After nine years in Arizona she returned home to Howards Grove where she was a cook at Lakeland College as well as cooking for various restaurants in Sheboygan county, including the Log Cabin, then owned by George and Ruth Schoenemann. She spent several more years working at the Log Cabin, until her retirement in 1997.
While she had retired from cooking professionally, Edna still enjoyed making tortes, soups, salads, holiday dinners and her famed Peanut Squares for all of her children, grand, great and great-great-grandchildren. She also enjoyed fancy work, ceramics and embroidery and was quite the ace at Texas Hold ‘Em in her card club. Edna loved her family and was proud of all their accomplishments.
Edna is survived by her children: Roger (Shirley) Bender of Cleveland, Jerold Bender of Scottsdale, AZ and Judith Bender of Howards Grove. She is further survived by her grandchildren: Vicki O'Day, Larry (Kristen) Bender, Jeff (Maria) Bender, Kris (Kevin) Dirks, Tim (Cameron) Bender, Toby (Brenda) Bender and Mandi Bender; great-grandchildren: Joshua Bender, Stephanie (Chimaobi) Mbanaso, Derrick O'Day, Levi Bender, Jamie (Kevin) Weidemann, Jenny Bender, Katherine Bender and Clare Milostan; great-great-grandchildren: Ella and Micha Mbanaso, Amaya O'Day, Noah and Ruby Bender, and McKenna and Cameron Weidemann; sister Eleanora (the late Harold) Nick, many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and her beloved dog Riley.
She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Erwin Bender Sr., sons Kenneth Bender and Erwin Bender Jr., granddaughter Kelly (nee Bender) Ellersick, siblings: Harvey (Sadie) Brendel, Gilbert (Caroline) Brendel, Roman Brendel, Hildegard (Richard) Sachse and Laverne (Hank) Reiss.
A Memorial Service will be held at Zimmer Westview Funeral and Cremation Care Center, W2132 Garton Road in Sheboygan on Friday, September 8, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. with Pastor Azor Cigelske officiating. The family will receive visitors on Friday at the funeral home from 4-6 p.m. She will be laid to rest at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Howards Grove.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Sheboygan Senior Community Center or Zion Lutheran Church in New Holstein.

The family would like to thank the staffs of St. Nicholas Hospital, Sheboygan Senior Community and Rocky Knoll for their compassionate care and support.

Please visit www.zimmerfuneralhome.com to sign the guestbook.