Edna Fern Louder was born near Barnard, Kansas, in 1936 to Glen and Velma (Wright) Louder. At age 5, her family bought a farm near Burr Oak, where she enjoyed time outside on the farm with her dad. Edna had a younger brother that died as a toddler because of complications caused by mumps. She attended school in Burr Oak where she became an avid speller. Spelling was always her favorite subject. Not all subjects were favored by Edna, and she would opt to quit school at age 16. Soon she set out on an adventure, taking the bus from Kansas to Denver, Colorado, to be closer to extended family. There she lived with cousins, aunts and uncles. While in Denver, Edna became a nanny for a few years watching three children. She had a huge soft spot in her heart for children. She spent a time working in a Denver hospital and then lived in Colorado Springs, Colo. Edna learned that life in the city was nothing like life on the farm.
In 1961, Kenneth McCorkle asked Edna to marry him. She followed him during his enlistment in the army, giving birth to their first child, Gary, in 1962. Nothing breaks the heart of a parent like losing a child, which is what happened when Gary took his own life in 1980. Following Ken’s discharge from the military, Edna and Ken settled near their families in Kansas. The family bought a home in Mankato in 1968. A daughter, Susan Kay, was born in March of 1969.
For a few years, Edna worked as a waitress in Mankato. After a time, she decided to follow her desire to be at home and have a licensed in-home daycare. The house was filled with children every day. Edna spent her time cooking, cleaning and figuring out how to stop Susan from cutting the other children’s hair. Many of those children and their families stayed in touch for years to come.
Because of the size and location of Edna and Ken’s home, many holidays were hosted there for the family. These holidays included parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Edna took pride in having a clean home for all to visit. Edna never did have a driver’s license. She had the ability to come home for all to visit. She had the ability to drive, but was never secure enough to apply for a license. In later years, her vision made that impossible. She had plenty to keep her busy reading mystery novels, filling her passion for word search books and many hours doing embroidery work.
In 1978, the family move to Alton. Edna again did in home daycare, as well as gardening. Because Ken was busy at work, Edna did most of the yard work, including trimming the hedge along the yard. This task required a new electric trimmer each year, as she usually cut the cord at least once a year.
Maybe it was planned, maybe not. While in Alton, Edna went to work as a cook at the Alton-Osborne Junior High School. After Susan graduated from high school, Ken and Edna moved to Osborne. Edna filled her days with keeping up their home, lawn and packing to go camping on the weekends. All this time, Edna made sure to set aside time to write letters to her family and lifelong friends, some of which were acquired during Ken’s time in the army. She kept in touch with those important to her throughout the years and always sent Christmas cards to all each year.
Time certainly was more available and life less stressful when Ken and Edna decided to move back to Alton, to Progressive Care. Here she could relax and let someone else do the housekeeping and cooking. That allowed more time for listening to baseball on TV, a passion she got from her dad. After Ken’s death in 2019, Edna moved to Downs Care and Rehab, to be closer to the grandchildren. She enjoyed those who cared for her there and was always trying to get a hug or give a peck on the cheek to staff members.
Edna is survived by lifelong friends: Charlotte Pletcher and Brenda Stahn; daughter, Susan (Todd) Ingebreston, Carrington, North Dakota; Grandchildren: Devin (Jess) Renken, Downs, Kansas; Vanessa McLaughlin (James McLaurin) Devils Lake, North Dakota; and Leah Bortz (Matt Larsen) Carrington, North Dakota; great-grandchildren: Bentley and Charlie Renken, Brynn McLaughlin, Brielle McLauin, and Wesley Larsen; and another Renken boy this coming May.
Her funeral was Friday, at the Rentschler Family Mortuaries Osborne Chapel.
The family has requested memorial contributions be made to the Downs Fire Department or the Osborne Ministerial Alliance, and can be sent in care of the mortuary.
Arrangements were entrusted to the Rentschler Family Mortuaries, http://www.rfmortuaries.com.
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