Lucille J. Wessel, 83, of Seneca, KS, died Thursday, January 6, 2005, at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca. Her death was due to pneumonia and heart failure.

She was born on a farm north of Baileyville, January 10, 1921, the oldest child of Joseph A. and Minnie C. Bergman Kramer. When she was eight years old, the family moved to a farm southwest of Seneca. She attended school at Baileyville and the Schurman School and helped on the family farm. Lucille did domestic work, helped with newborn babies, and worked as a clerk in a dime store at Seneca.

On February 22, 1945, she married Albert H. Wessel at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. They farmed and operated a dairy northwest of Kelly. Lucille worked on the farm beside her husband. Her husband Albert preceded her in death on April 15, 2001. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Karen Curtis, on September 4, 1996.

She raised dogs, especially rat terriers and schnauzers. When she was 70, she started “Wessel Flowers,” a greenhouse at the farm where she sold bedding plants for flowers and vegetables. Lucille remained on the farm until 2002 when she moved into Seneca.

She was a member of St. Bede’s Church in Kelly and the Altar Sodality, where she served as an officer. Albert and Lucille planted trees at St. Bede’s Cemetery and for years did the dishes after the Lions Club monthly meetings at Lake Nemaha. She cooked for the Benedictine Sisters in Kelly from 1954-1958, and also did custom wall papering. Lucille was an ambitious person who quilted, crocheted, fished in ponds, followed her grandchildren’s sports, and loved to cook and bake, especially coconut cream pies.

Survivors are a son, Frank Wessel of Axtell; three daughters, Rose Wilhelm of Seneca, Alice Hards of Oneida, and Rita Pfannenstiel of Silver Lake; two brothers, Eymard Kramer of Topeka and Martin Kramer of Boyd, TX; 15 grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren and four step-great-grandchildren.

Besides her husband and daughter, she was preceded in death by three brothers, Lawrence, Eugene, and Dareol Kramer.

Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 AM Monday at St. Bede’s Church in Kelly. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Sunday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorials may be given for St. Bede’s Cemetery, and sent in care of the family.