Iona L Halsey

A Prayer Service for Iona L. Halsey will take place on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016 at 2:30 pm at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church, Simpson, MN, with Fr. John P. Wilmot officiating. Visitation and lunch to follow the prayer service.  She will be buried on Friday, Dec. 2 at 1:00 pm at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Cemetery in Meriden, MN.

Iona Louise (Wilker) Halsey of Ennis, Texas, died on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016 of pancreatic cancer.  She was 84.  She was born on July 14, 1932 in Waseca, MN to Ewald and Elizabeth (Mundt) Wilker.  She grew up in Meriden on the family farm and graduated from Waseca High School.  She married Ivan S. Behnken on March 22, 1952.  They lived and farmed NE of Rochester for many years, where they raised four children.  They later divorced. 

Iona married Larry Halsey on Jan 22, 1980, living in Iowa and Missouri. 

Iona was a Licensed Practical Nurse, worked in sales and owned a clothing store in Rochester.  In 1991, she began 25 years of service to the Lord as a Missionary with Evangelistic Messengers Association Church, E.M.A, based in Ennis, Texas.  She traveled to numerous places, Romania, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, Holland and Greece. She lived, worked and taught the Bible in the Ukraine for over three years.

She also visited and ministered in South Africa, Lesotho, Nigeria, Ghana and Israel.  Finally, Iona spent time in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and the Miskito Indians in upper Nicaragua.  She spent more than three years in Nicaragua, starting a school (New Hope) in the city of El Crucero and sharing the Gospel of Jesus with many.

She is survived by her children, Linda (Darren) Hinze, Henderson, NV, LeAnn (Ronald) Garrett, Phillips Ranch, CA, Lisa (Bill Kuisle) Behnken, Rochester, MN and James (Susan) Behnken, Brookings, SD, 9 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband Larry Halsey, her parents, three brothers and a nephew.

Condolences may be left at www.Hindtfuneralhomes.com

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