November 12, 1938 - February 7, 2025
Our Beloved Mother, Ludell Leola Jurgens Lewis of the Twin Springs Community (Fontana) went to Heaven on February 7, 2025. She was born on November 12, 1938, in Omaha, Nebraska, to George and Leola (Sautter) Jurgens.
She graduated from Pleasanton High School in May 1956. On May 18, 1956, she married Ted T. Lewis. They made their home in Pleasanton, Kansas, until they moved to Louisburg, Kansas, where they met Ralph and Annette Kueser and moved into Kueser’s small rental house. This was where Hollie and Teddy were born. In December of 1963, they moved to their current farm, then April came along.
Ludell raised her family on the family farm. She enjoyed trying to control her children from doing Cowboy and Indian stunts on their horses, which resulted in the neighbor, Herman Keitel, tattling on them. She also loved rescuing dogs and cats. One of her many pastimes was reading Caper’s Weekly to her children, raising chickens, a big garden and sewing. The garden was well hoed, because she rewarded her children with the swimming pool in the afternoons at La Cygne, Kansas. She would read a book underneath a shade tree while waiting. Our mother always kept us well fed, along with our friends, with her special fried chicken dinners that included mashed or fried potatoes with dessert.
Ludell was a devoted Christian and raised her family accordingly. She enjoyed helping her neighbors Cleta Jamison and Mabel Keitel along with her many friends.
She enjoyed watching her children grow up into adults, get married, and have families of their own.
She became a widow on March 23, 1999, when her husband and father of Hollie, Ted and April passed away unexpectedly.
Ludell was preceded in death by her husband, parents, brother Noel Jurgens, and sister-in-law Mildred Jurgens.
Survivors include Hollie (Fred) Breedlove, Fontana, Kansas; Ted G. (Kathy) Lewis, Amsterdam, Missouri; and April (Chris) Carstens, Fontana, Kansas. Grandchildren are Kyle (Pat) Carstens, Parker, Kansas; Tara (Paul) Lewis Oliphant, Fontana, Kansas; Amanda (Josh) Lewis Stanfill, La Cygne, Kansas; Seth Carstens, Osawatomie, Kansas; and Charles Breedlove, Kansas City; and great grandchildren, Lars Carstens, Cooper Oliphant, Brooke Oliphant, Austin Oliphant, Blythe Stanfill and Olive Stanfill.
She leaves behind many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and her dogs, Peanut and Jane.
Pallbearers are her grandchildren. Honorary pallbearers are her great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Prairie Paws, Ottawa, or your favorite charity.
She will be laid to rest beside our loving father, Ted T. Lewis in a graveside service at the Elm Grove Cadmus Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. on February 14, 2025.
(Published in the Linn County Journal on February 11, 2025.)