Edna May Kutnink
November 19, 1915 — January 18, 2013
Edna May Kutnink was born on November 19, 1915, to Andrew and Anna (Pieper) Jensen in Minden, Iowa. She attended country school near Minden until the eighth grade. She worked as a housemaid until her marriage on January 19, 1934 to John Kutnink. The couple lived on a farm northeast of Walnut where they were self-sufficient with crops, cattle, hogs, chickens, and the biggest garden in the county. Edna had a 5-quart bucket of strawberries picked before most were out of bed in the morning. She spent much of her time cooking for her family and the farm help and canning fruits and vegetables. After John’s death on November 23, 1980, Edna then moved into Walnut.
To her family Edna is best known for her quilts. She spent thousands of hours making them, and each of her grandchildren and great grandchildren have at least one on their beds. She enjoyed playing cards with neighbors and friends. She was a member of the garden club and the canasta card club. She taught many of her grandchildren to play and always made them earn their win; “No crying, be a good sport.” She enjoyed cooking, baking, and sewing, and having all her family around. She would make the birthday cake of choice for her grandkids. All her family would request her meatballs and Christmas cookies during the holidays. Her wedding present for each was a quilt and hand-embroidered dish towels and pillow cases. She made many of her own clothes, and taught her grandchildren to sew. She enjoyed helping her grandchildren with their many 4-H sewing and cooking projects. She would examine their report card, and each A would earn them a dime. They also earned money by running across the acreage to turn off the windmill and other various chores around the farm. Grandma Kutnink made an everlasting impact on the lives of all of her grandchildren.
She enjoyed traveling and attempted to visit every state in the US. She ended up a few states short, but was able to see Hawaii and Alaska. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Walnut and was active in the church’s Women’s Circle. She would make small quilts and kimono robes to send to under-privileged children around the world. She was a woman on-the-go. Most days you could find Edna in her high heels, clip on earrings and necklaces. Edna said she never retired; she was "just tired." Who could blame her after all those activities?
Edna moved to the Avoca Nursing and Rehab Center and was there for only three weeks before her death on Friday, January 18, 2013. She attained the age of ninety-seven years, one month and twenty-nine days. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John; nine brothers and sisters; her son Donald Kutnink and his wife Karen; and grandchildren Vanessa Kutnink, Louis H. Pedersen III, and Logan Blum.
She is survived by her daughter Rosemary and husband Louis H. Pedersen, Jr. of Walnut, Iowa; her grandchildren: Valorie Baggenstoss, Felicity Pedersen, April Pedersen, Gwendolyn and her husband Richard Blum, Melanie and her husband Tim Simpson, Tuesday and her husband Bruce McDonald, Cheyenne and her husband Eric Mertz, Kent Kutnink and his wife Terri, Bob Kutnink, Sunny Jo and her husband David Anderson, and John Kutnink and his wife Lucille; twenty-five great grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.
To her family Edna is best known for her quilts. She spent thousands of hours making them, and each of her grandchildren and great grandchildren have at least one on their beds. She enjoyed playing cards with neighbors and friends. She was a member of the garden club and the canasta card club. She taught many of her grandchildren to play and always made them earn their win; “No crying, be a good sport.” She enjoyed cooking, baking, and sewing, and having all her family around. She would make the birthday cake of choice for her grandkids. All her family would request her meatballs and Christmas cookies during the holidays. Her wedding present for each was a quilt and hand-embroidered dish towels and pillow cases. She made many of her own clothes, and taught her grandchildren to sew. She enjoyed helping her grandchildren with their many 4-H sewing and cooking projects. She would examine their report card, and each A would earn them a dime. They also earned money by running across the acreage to turn off the windmill and other various chores around the farm. Grandma Kutnink made an everlasting impact on the lives of all of her grandchildren.
She enjoyed traveling and attempted to visit every state in the US. She ended up a few states short, but was able to see Hawaii and Alaska. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Walnut and was active in the church’s Women’s Circle. She would make small quilts and kimono robes to send to under-privileged children around the world. She was a woman on-the-go. Most days you could find Edna in her high heels, clip on earrings and necklaces. Edna said she never retired; she was "just tired." Who could blame her after all those activities?
Edna moved to the Avoca Nursing and Rehab Center and was there for only three weeks before her death on Friday, January 18, 2013. She attained the age of ninety-seven years, one month and twenty-nine days. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John; nine brothers and sisters; her son Donald Kutnink and his wife Karen; and grandchildren Vanessa Kutnink, Louis H. Pedersen III, and Logan Blum.
She is survived by her daughter Rosemary and husband Louis H. Pedersen, Jr. of Walnut, Iowa; her grandchildren: Valorie Baggenstoss, Felicity Pedersen, April Pedersen, Gwendolyn and her husband Richard Blum, Melanie and her husband Tim Simpson, Tuesday and her husband Bruce McDonald, Cheyenne and her husband Eric Mertz, Kent Kutnink and his wife Terri, Bob Kutnink, Sunny Jo and her husband David Anderson, and John Kutnink and his wife Lucille; twenty-five great grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.
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