Loretta Niehues, 98, of Seneca, Kansas, died on Saturday, August 1, 2015 at Life Care Center of Seneca.

Loretta was born on March 28, 1917 on a farm northeast of Kelly, Kansas to Louis and Maude Becker Huerter, one of eight children. She grew up in the Kelly community and attended Country Head School and St. Bede’s Catholic School, graduating from the 8th grade. Her mother died when Loretta was fourteen. She worked in homes of new born babies; before going to work for family in Glenville, Illinois. She returned to Kansas and was employed by Pelletier’s Department Store in Topeka, Kansas and then Robertson’s Café in Sabetha, Kansas.

On April 22, 1947 she married John J. Niehues at St. Bede’s Catholic Church in Kelly. The couple lived and farmed in the Kelly community from 1947 until they retired in 1993, when they moved to Seneca. They were married 47 years before John’s death on December 9, 1994.

She was a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and the Altar Society in Seneca, a former member of St. Bede’s Catholic Church and the Altar Society in Kelly.

She is survived by a son John (Darlene) Niehues of Havensville; two daughters, Mary Jane (Bob) Holthaus of Seneca and Bonita Turner of Kansas City, Missouri; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Besides her husband, she also was preceded in death by her parents, Louis on March 14, 1967 and Maude on January 8, 1932; two grandchildren, Geraldine Mary Holthaus on August 5, 1973 and Craig Allen Turner on November 23, 1971; a great granddaughter, Lily Louise Stallbaumer on May 31, 2008; four sisters, Mary Guth on April 20, 2009, Martha Heinen December 5, 2008, Agatha Heinen on May 26, 1997 and Cyrilla Huerter on March 17, 1978; and three brothers, Phil Huerter on July 28, 1999, Hubert Huerter on December 1, 1999, and Sylvester Huerter on July 3, 1992.

Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Monday, August 3, 2015, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 AM Tuesday, August 4th at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Seneca. Burial will be at St. Bede’s Cemetery in Kelly.

Memorial contributions may be given in Loretta’s memory to St. Bede’s Cemetery or St. Peter & Paul School, and sent in care of the family.