Dora Marie (Dunekacke) Rieken

     Dora Marie (Dunekacke) Rieken was called to rest in the arms of her beloved Jesus on December 1, 2016 at Gold Crest Retirement Center in Adams, Nebraska at the age of 96 years and 10 months.  She was the sixth of seven children born to Diedrich and Sophia (Mahlstadt) Dunekacke on January 31, 1920 near Asendorf, Germany. Dora was baptized in the Lutheran faith at Asendorf, Germany and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church, Johnson, Nebraska on March 25, 1934.  Dora moved with her parents from Germany to Johnson in 1923, at the age of 3.  The family originally lived with their uncle, Fred Meyer for a short time, later moving to the Broady farm near Johnson where her father farmed for about five years.  In 1929, they moved to the C.D. Hahn farm where they lived until 1941.  Her parents then purchased the Dunekacke home place southwest of Johnson.  Dora started school at the Dewey School and later attended Washington Rural School thru the eighth grade.

    Dora worked part-time in the winters as a housekeeper and caregiver for the Wherry family and also worked as a clerk at Sherman’s Grocery Store before her marriage.

   She was united in marriage to Gieko Rieken on September 3, 1946 at Zion Lutheran Church, Johnson.  To this union three children were born. Gieko and Dora lived west of Johnson for three years after their marriage and then moved to the C.D. Hahn farm for 12 years.  In 1961, they bought their farm northeast of Tecumseh.  They retired from farming and moved to Tecumseh in May, 1988. Gieko passed away April 23, 1998. Dora moved to Gold Crest on July 30, 2015.

   Dora was a homemaker and enjoyed cooking, gardening, canning, sewing, jigsaw puzzles and doing seamstress work for others.  Her specialty was crocheting and she made nearly 400 crocheted name doilies for others. Dora will be fondly remembered for her apple and cherry pies, homemade bread and her famous peanut brittle.  Dora was a very kind, very determined, happy lady who always had a smile on her face and was willing to help others. Her greatest joys were her faith and family.  She especially loved spending time with her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren.    

    She is survived by her children, Mary Peters and husband Lonny of Elk Creek, sons, Jim Rieken of Tecumseh and Ken Rieken and wife Carol of Tecumseh, grandchildren, Lisa Othmer and husband Lavon, Michael Peters and wife Ashley, Kyle Rieken and Cody Rieken, great-grandsons, Lane and Levi Othmer and Breckin Peters, brother, Arnold Dunekacke and wife Imogene of Johnson and numerous nieces and nephews. 

   Dora was preceded in death by her death by her parents, husband, Gieko, sisters, Anna Philpott, Sophia Hitzeman and Marie Rohrs and brothers, Fred Dunekacke and Henry Dunekacke.  

   Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m.  Monday, December 5, 2016 at the St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Johnson, Nebraska with Pastor Bill Shaner officiating. There will be a family prayer service in the church basement at 10:15 a.m.

   Visitation will be at the Wherry Mortuary in Tecumseh, Nebraska, Sunday, December 4, 2016 from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with family greeting friends from 2-4 p.m. 

   Memorials in lieu of flowers may go to the St. Matthew Lutheran Church or Gold Crest Retirement Center.

   Interment will be in the St. Matthew Lutheran Cemetery, rural Johnson, Nebraska.

   Online condolences may be left @ www.wherrymortuary.com.

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