Winona Marie Langen passed away at age 98 on Monday, July 29, 2024, at Cortland Holland Meadows Assisted Living.
She was born February 19, 1926, in Hopkins, MI, to Charles and Edith Wamhoff. Growing up with five brothers and sisters on a dairy farm was not an easy life but one which she treasured, never complaining or feeling ungrateful for the experience. She had very close relationships with her siblings and had great respect for the back-breaking work and long hours they all performed on the farm. She attended Hopkins High School and graduated in 1949 from Valparaiso University in Indiana. Being away from home for the first time was frightening, but she adjusted, and loved attending Valpo where she made a career for herself while making some life long friends.
Before graduating, she worked at JCPenney’s in Allegan making change for customers using a tin cup that would fly across the ceiling. After earning her degree, she was employed as a Home Economics teacher at Detroit Lutheran High School and later as an appliance demonstrator for Consumers Energy in Grand Rapids. It was there, in an upstairs apartment at 222 Fountain Street in historic Heritage Hill, that she met Ray Langen. He would remark that he often looked out his window to see the girl from upstairs running down the hill, most likely late for work! One evening, she and her roommates dressed up as “floozies” for a party and decided to knock on the door of the fellows who lived downstairs. One can only imagine the surprise on Ray’s face as he tried to figure out what to say to this bevy of girls at his door. Neither knew at the time that this encounter would change both of their lives forever!
She married Raymond Langen in 1956 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hopkins. They began their married life in Billings, Montana where their three daughters, Sara and the twins Christina and Margaret were born. In 1968, they accepted a transfer to Lakewood, Colorado, where they lived and enjoyed raising their family for more than 40 years In 2006, they came home to Michigan and moved in with their daughter, Chris, and her family in Holland. This was a wonderful time to visit frequently with her beloved sister and brothers, establish a church home at Zion Lutheran, and take walks with her husband around Laketown Township and other areas nearby.
Throughout their marriage, Ray and Winona loved to travel. After retiring,they attended many Elderhostels, both in the states and abroad. Some of their most memorable trips were bicycle tours. They rode their bikes with tour groups through the Loire River valley in France as well as in the Netherlands. On their European trips, they were occasionally accompanied by their daughter Maggie Paterson and granddaughter Raemy. They had so many fantastic memories of those trips together. They also took cruises of the Panama Canal, the Hawaiian Islands, and Alaska, They visited New Zealand, Australia and even Greece to trace the footsteps of St. Paul.
Winona was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Raymond Langen; daughter, Maggie Paterson; sisters and brothers, Norma TerAvest, Ray Wamhoff, Marvin Wamhoff, and Marcy Jacoby; brothers/sisters-in-law, Robert TerAvest, Irma Wamhoff, and Fred Jacoby. She is survived by her brother Jake Wamhoff and sister-in-law Marlene Wamhoff. She is also survived by her children, Sara Langen and Chris (Tom) Kiger; as well as grandchildren, Marcy Kiger, Daniel Kiger, Julie Kiger, Raemy Paterson and Seth Paterson; and son-in-law Bruce Paterson.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on August 16th at Zion Lutheran Church, 77 West 32nd Street, Holland, with Rev. Ryan Winningham officiating.
Private burial will take place in Maplewood Cemetery, Hopkins.
Memorial Contributions may be given to the American Cancer Society.
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