Melita Ann Bodensteiner, age 101, of West Union, Iowa formerly of St. Lucas, Iowa passed away on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
Melita Ann Steinlage Bodensteiner was born October 25, 1923 on a farm near Kelly, Kansas, the daughter of Ferdinand and Dora Haverkamp Steinlage. She was the second of eight children. Melita attended St. Bede’s Catholic School in Kelly through the eighth grade, walking two miles to school each day.
Melita lived at home after graduation, working on the family farm and helping neighbors with child care. As a young woman, she worked as a housekeeper for her uncle Msgr. John Steinlage in Panhandle, Texas. Melita met her future husband on a visit to her paternal grandparents’ farm near St. Lucas, Iowa. On August 22, 1945, she was united in marriage to Irvin Bodensteiner at St. Bede’s Church in Kelly. Together they raised eight children.
Melita was a busy farm wife for much of her life, doing chores, feeding chickens and gathering eggs, and cultivating large vegetable and flower gardens on their farm southeast of St. Lucas. In 1983, Irvin and Melita retired to a new home in St. Lucas. Irvin passed away in 1993.
Melita was a member of St. Luke’s Catholic parish in St. Lucas and participated in the St. Lucas community until she moved to Good Samaritan Home in West Union in 2021 at the age of 98. Melita appreciated all the caregivers who have helped her through the years.
Melita was preceded in death by her husband, Irvin in 1993; her son, Dale Bodensteiner in 2019; daughter, Mary in infancy; son-in-law, Lee Gilchrist; her parents, Ferdinand and Dora Steinlage; father-in-law, Carl Bodensteiner and mother-in-law, Johanna Rausch Bodensteiner.
Surviving Melita are her seven children and their spouses; Diane (Mark) Schmitt of Fort Atkinson, Gary (Rita) Bodensteiner of Lubbock, TX, Melvin (Janet) Bodensteiner of St. Lucas, Betty (Jim Kortz) Gilchrist of Woodbury, MN, Dan (Cindy) Bodensteiner of Albert Lea, MN, Susan (Bob) Cerwinske of Lake City, MN, and Joseph (Sandra) Bodensteiner of Harper, TX. She is also survived by fourteen grandchildren, thirty-five great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren; her brother, Norbert Steinlage of Seneca, Kansas and her sister-in-law, Irma Schuler of Austin, Texas.
A Visitation will be held from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm with a Scripture Service at 6:30 pm on Monday, August 11, 2025 at Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home in West Union, Iowa. There will also be an hour visitation before mass time at the church on Tuesday.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 am on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at Holy Name Catholic Church in West Union, Iowa with Rev. Nick Radloff as the Celebrant and Deacon Jim Zajicek as the officiant.
Interment will follow at St. Luke’s Catholic Cemetery in St. Lucas, Iowa.
Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of West Union, Iowa is assisting the family with services.