Lillian Sprengeler

Lillian Frances Sprengeler, 99, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, was called by her Lord to the Church Triumphant on April 5th, 2024. She now enjoys a heavenly reunion with her loving husband Elton, and many other friends and family that have gone before her.

Lillian Frances Rudolph was born July 30, 1924 in Ortonville, Minnesota, to Wilhelm and Lillie (Schumacher) Rudolph. She attended and graduated 8th grade from St. John's Lutheran School in Elk River, Minnesota. She then helped out on the family farm and learned to be a housewife from her mother. Later on Lillian worked as a Bell telephone operator in Minneapolis. She loved to sing and was in the church choir in Elk River when she met and fell in love with the new choir director and teacher, Elton Sprengeler. Lillian and Elton were united in marriage July 6, 1958 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Elk River. In 1964 Elton received a call to teach and direct music at St. John's Lutheran School in Alta, Iowa, where they lived until a call to teach in 1970 brought them to St. Paul Lutheran Church and School in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Lillian was a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and was an active volunteer in the church and school. She dedicated her life to serving the Lord and bringing the word of God to anyone who was in need of guidance. In 2004, at the age of 80, she accomplished a lifelong dream of graduating high school with a GED from Iowa Central Community College. She was a strong and caring person who often put the needs of others before her own, and will be greatly missed by many.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Elton, parents Wilhelm (Bill) and Lillie Rudolph, stepmother Beatrice Rudolph, brothers Edward, Elton, and Kermit Rudolph, Elroy and Betty Sprengeler, sister-in-law’s Bonnie (Edward) and Katherine (Elton) Rudolph, Aurelia (Sprengeler) and Herbert Brockoff, a niece and nephews, and many other family and friends.

Lillian is survived by sons Daniel (Cathy), Matthew (Peg), Howard (Vicky), Robert (Tammy) Sprengeler, and daughter Rebecca (Steve) Williams, sister-in-law Carin (Kermit) Rudolph, 11 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be July 6, 2024, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge, Iowa, with a visitation at 9:00 a.m. followed by a celebration of Eternal Life at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be at St. John Lutheran Church / Twin Lakes Cemetery in Elk River, Minnesota, on July 6th in the afternoon, per Lillian’s wishes.