Elmerna Lee

February 9, 1929 - December 18, 2021

Elmerna Minden Schramm Lee, age 92, of Storm Lake, Iowa died December 18, 2021 at Methodist Manor in Storm Lake. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in STORM LAKE is in charge of the arrangements. Elmerna Minden Schramm Lee was born on February 9, 1929, to Clarence and Alma (Sievers) Minden in Storm Lake, Iowa. She attended grade school at Zion Lutheran in rural Storm Lake and high school in Albert City, Iowa. Elmerna graduated from Albert City in 1947 as Valedictorian of her class. Elmerna was united in marriage to Gerhard (Spike) Schramm on September 14, 1947, in Storm Lake. To this union, eight children were born: Michel, Christine, Letha, William, Elizabeth, Timothy (Gus), Sara, and Robert. On March 11, 1989, Elmerna married Merlin Lee. Elmerna had a beautiful soprano voice and was active in the Storm Lake Community Theater and Glee Club. She was a voracious reader until Macular Degeneration took most of her sight. Elmerna loved to travel. She traveled to Africa with the Iowa Development Commission. After her retirement, she and Merlin taught conversational English in Japan for nine months. When they returned to the United States, they traveled the country in a motorhome for several years. They settled in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, and taught English as a second language to many adults for ten years. Reading, education, and analytical thinking was very important to Elmerna. Elmerna is survived by her children: Mike Schramm of Westport, Connecticut; Chris (Mark) Young of Storm Lake, Iowa; Letha (Steve) Braesch of Arlington, Virginia; Bill (Sheri) Schramm of Maiden Rock, Wisconsin; Betsy Bissen (Jerry Erickson) of Madison Lake, Minnesota; Gus (Sheila) Schramm of LeMars, Iowa; Sara (Bob) Nehring of Coralville, Iowa; Rob Schramm of Laurens, Iowa; grandchildren: Jeremy Young (Susan Lindenbaum), Ryan (Stacey) Young, Gabe (Sarah) Braesch, KC Braesch (Brian Johnson), Nicole (Justin) Dibble, Jake Schramm, Megan (Colin) Howie, Nick Bissen, Alex Bissen, Joel Schramm (Cynthia Nagata), Mandy (Jace) Henrich, Elisha Nehring (Kelly Mundhenke), Wendy Nehring, Cicely Schramm (Aaron Overland), Jade Schramm; 19 great-grandchildren; close friend: Deb Siemer of Johnston, Iowa; sisters-in-law: Marilyn Minden of Stockton, California; Ginger Schramm of Red Wing, Minnesota. She is also survived by Marilyn Jones, Thomas Bissen, and Laurie Lawman. Elmerna is preceded in death by her husbands, Spike Schramm (1982) and Merlin Lee (2020); parents: Clarence and Alma Minden; parents-in-law: William and Dora Schramm; sister: Phyllis Barry; brother: Doyle Minden