Sonja Marlys Thraen
September 23, 1946 — August 28, 2016
Sonja Marlys Thraen was born on September 23, 1946 to Thelma (Miller) and Magne “Mac” Madsen in Audubon County, Iowa. She graduated from the Elk Horn-Kimballton Community School with the class of 1964. After graduation, Sonja then went to a business school in Omaha, Nebraska.
Sonja was united in marriage to Mark Lange in October of 1965. To this union, three children were born: Brigette, Creed and Mac. In 1981, Sonja started working at Wilson Seed Corn as a Research Lab Manager until 2002. She also worked part-time at Myrtue Memorial Hospital’s Prairie Rose Mental Health Department as a medical records transcriber from 1996 until late summer 2002. Then in the fall of 2002 she worked at Myrtue’s Home & Public Health Department retiring in September 2011.
On June 8, 1991, Sonja married Michael Thraen at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kimballton, Iowa. Together in this marriage they continued raising their children. In 1994 they purchased an acreage west of Kimballton. This is where they established their home with many new upgrades and where the foundation of the new family started. They built a cow herd that would allow the whole family to be a part of taking care of, showing and going to the pasture. Sonja loved spending time with her family, especially traveling to Florida to visit her daughter and grandchildren. In her free time, you could find her reading, playing card games or working on puzzles while sipping on a Diet Dr. Pepper. She enjoyed making her roller pancakes, chocolate chip cookies, and baking other treats for others. She attended many of her families’ activities including numerous ball games and cattle shows. Sonja and sister Shar would spend time knitting and sewing quilts. Sonja loved her cats and dogs. She would treat them with the utmost care and love especially her new puppy Abigail “Abby” Lynn. Christmas time was her favorite time of year. She would display her creative talents by decorating many Christmas trees inside and insist on Mike hanging all the Christmas lights outside.
Sonja passed on August 28, 2016 at Elm Crest Assisted Living in Harlan, Iowa attaining the age of sixty-nine years, eleven months and five days. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her son-in-law Rick Rogers and brother-in-law Leonard Steen.
She is survived by her husband Michael Thraen of Harlan, Iowa; her children: Brigette and her husband Michael Andersen of West Palm Beach, Florida; Creed Lange and his friend Judy Carlson of Adair, Iowa; Mac Lange and his wife Tatum of Harlan; grandchildren: Aaron Bennett of Harlan; Lauren Rogers of West Palm Beach; Kolton Lange of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Kaele Lange of Elk Horn, Iowa; Nicole and Madsen Lange of Harlan; great-grandson Colin Gallette of West Palm Beach; sister Sharlot Steen of Elk Horn; her godchildren Jason Steen of Kimballton; Meredith Russell of West Des Moines, Iowa; Monica Christensen of Urbandale, Iowa; Katie Wolf of Independence, Iowa; her father and mother-in-law Marvin and Joyce Thraen of Harlan; sister-in-law Pam and her husband Bill Clark of Omaha, Nebraska; sister-in-law Denise and her husband Scott Lickteig of Auburn, Nebraska; brother-in-law Jim Thraen and his friend Ella Malone of Irwin, Iowa; sister-in-law Patty and her husband Brent Branning of Denison, Iowa; nieces & nephews; other family members and many friends.
Sonja was united in marriage to Mark Lange in October of 1965. To this union, three children were born: Brigette, Creed and Mac. In 1981, Sonja started working at Wilson Seed Corn as a Research Lab Manager until 2002. She also worked part-time at Myrtue Memorial Hospital’s Prairie Rose Mental Health Department as a medical records transcriber from 1996 until late summer 2002. Then in the fall of 2002 she worked at Myrtue’s Home & Public Health Department retiring in September 2011.
On June 8, 1991, Sonja married Michael Thraen at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kimballton, Iowa. Together in this marriage they continued raising their children. In 1994 they purchased an acreage west of Kimballton. This is where they established their home with many new upgrades and where the foundation of the new family started. They built a cow herd that would allow the whole family to be a part of taking care of, showing and going to the pasture. Sonja loved spending time with her family, especially traveling to Florida to visit her daughter and grandchildren. In her free time, you could find her reading, playing card games or working on puzzles while sipping on a Diet Dr. Pepper. She enjoyed making her roller pancakes, chocolate chip cookies, and baking other treats for others. She attended many of her families’ activities including numerous ball games and cattle shows. Sonja and sister Shar would spend time knitting and sewing quilts. Sonja loved her cats and dogs. She would treat them with the utmost care and love especially her new puppy Abigail “Abby” Lynn. Christmas time was her favorite time of year. She would display her creative talents by decorating many Christmas trees inside and insist on Mike hanging all the Christmas lights outside.
Sonja passed on August 28, 2016 at Elm Crest Assisted Living in Harlan, Iowa attaining the age of sixty-nine years, eleven months and five days. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her son-in-law Rick Rogers and brother-in-law Leonard Steen.
She is survived by her husband Michael Thraen of Harlan, Iowa; her children: Brigette and her husband Michael Andersen of West Palm Beach, Florida; Creed Lange and his friend Judy Carlson of Adair, Iowa; Mac Lange and his wife Tatum of Harlan; grandchildren: Aaron Bennett of Harlan; Lauren Rogers of West Palm Beach; Kolton Lange of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Kaele Lange of Elk Horn, Iowa; Nicole and Madsen Lange of Harlan; great-grandson Colin Gallette of West Palm Beach; sister Sharlot Steen of Elk Horn; her godchildren Jason Steen of Kimballton; Meredith Russell of West Des Moines, Iowa; Monica Christensen of Urbandale, Iowa; Katie Wolf of Independence, Iowa; her father and mother-in-law Marvin and Joyce Thraen of Harlan; sister-in-law Pam and her husband Bill Clark of Omaha, Nebraska; sister-in-law Denise and her husband Scott Lickteig of Auburn, Nebraska; brother-in-law Jim Thraen and his friend Ella Malone of Irwin, Iowa; sister-in-law Patty and her husband Brent Branning of Denison, Iowa; nieces & nephews; other family members and many friends.
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