Wanda Wehner

Wanda Lee Ponder Wehner, 83, passed away unexpectedly on March 1, 2013 at Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo. A visitation will be held between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm on Monday, March 4 at Richardson's Funeral Home in Cedar Falls and a celebration of Wanda's life will be held at 10:30 am Tuesday, March 5 at First United Methodist Church in Cedar Falls. A luncheon will be served at the church after the service. Interment will be private. Wanda was born on October 25, 1929 in Jasper County, IA, the third child of William Joseph Ponder and Bernice Ponder (nee Meredith). She obtained a BA degree at Iowa State Teacher's College in 1952. While there, she met her future husband, Carl O. Wehner. They married on June 16, 1952. Wanda taught high school science at Mediapolis before returning to Cedar Falls to earn her masters degree in Chemistry from Iowa State Teacher's College in 1966. In 1968 Wanda began teaching in the Chemistry department at State College of Iowa. During her twenty-four year tenure at State College of Iowa (later to become UNI), Wanda was recognized by her colleagues and students as an outstanding and much admired teacher of Chemistry and Physical Science, and later Applied Organic and Bio Chemistry. In addition to the classroom, Wanda was a member of the Iowa section of the American Chemical Society and involved in the Iowa Academy of Science, for many years one of very few women. Wanda retired from the University of Northern Iowa in 1992. After retirement, she was active in the UNI Emeritus Association. She was a lifetime member of the UNI Alumni Association and belonged to the Friends of the UNI Museum. Wanda was active in many Cedar Valley organizations, volunteering at the UNI Museum, at the Little Red School House, for Meals on Wheels, and the CROP Walk. Wanda was a member of First United Methodist Church in Cedar Falls for over fifty years. She was very active with United Methodist Women, and involved with many mission projects, including preparing health, layette and school kits. She was one of the statewide leaders for the Thanksgiving In-Gathering (the major mission project of the United Methodist Church) and was especially involved in quilting for the quilt auction. Wanda found fellowship at the Cedar Falls Mennonite Church along with her husband Carl. She also worked with children there quilting projects for the Iowa Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale. Wanda was a passionate and award winning quilter. She began a Tuesday quilting group, First Quilters, at the First United Methodist church. The members of this group looked to her as "the leader of their sisterhood". Wanda was preceded in death by her husband, Carl, who died on February 19, her parents, and her oldest sister, Lois Lisk. She is survived by her brothers: Glen (Marian) Ponder, William (Barbara) Ponder, and Leo (Terri) Ponder; her sisters: Ruth (John) Schuck and Bonnie Ellis; daughters: Sherilyn (Thomas) Dekarske, Susan Wehner (Guenter Munderloh), and Linda (John) Van Vlack; grandchildren: Joshua (Emma) VanVlack, Lillian (Tyler) Bruckner, Moritz Munderloh, and Eleanor Munderloh; great-grandchildren: Riley, Ethan, and Haleigh Bruckner; and many nieces and nephews. Wanda is further survived by numerous friends and colleagues. In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to the First United Methodist Church Hunger Fund, the Mennonite Central Committee Fund, or the Carl & Wanda Wehner Scholarship Endowment at the UNI Foundation.

Wanda Wehner

October 25, 1929 - March 1, 2013