Edna Fern Louder was born near Barnard, Kansas, in 1936 to Glen and Velma (Wright) Louder. At age 5, her family would buy a farm near Burr Oak, Ks where she loved spending time outside on the farm with her dad. Edna had a younger brother that died as a toddler due to complications of 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, CO to be closer to extended family. There she would live with cousins and Aunts and Uncles. While in Denver, Edna became a nanny for a few years watching 3 children. She always 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, CO. Edna would learn that life in the city was nothing like life on the farm.
In 1961, Kenneth McCorkle would ask Edna to marry him. She would follow 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 would settle 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 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 would stay in touch for years to come. Because of the size and location of Edna & Ken’s home, many holidays were hosted there for the family. These holidays included parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Edna always took pride in having a clean home for all to visit. Edna never did have a drivers license. She had the ability to drive, but was never secure enough to apply for a license. In later years her vision would make that impossible. She always had plenty to keep her busy reading mystery novels, filling her passion for word search books and spending many hours doing embroidery work.
In 1978,
the family moved 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 would
require a new electric trimmer each year, as she usually cut through 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 Jr. High school
for a time. 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 always 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 & 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 the Downs Care & Rehab. to be closer to the grandkids. 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 leaves to celebrate her life: lifelong friends: Charlotte Pletcher and Brenda Stahn. Daughter, Susan (Todd) Ingebretson, Carrington, ND Grandchildren: Devin (Jess) Renken, Downs, Ks. Vanessa McLaughlin (James McLaurin) Devils Lake, ND and Leah Bortz (Matt Larsen) Carrington, ND And great-granchildren Bentley and Charlie Renken, Brynn McLaughlin, Brielle McLaurin and Wesley Larsen and she was excited to know there will be another Renken boy this coming May.
Click HERE for service details.