Lois Schwinefus, 96, of Spring Valley, and formerly of Ostrander and Albert Lea, passed away on December 17, 2018. Visitation will be 9-11 a.m. on Saturday December 22, 2018, at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley. There will be a short memorial service held at 11 a.m. Saturday following the visitation. A memorial service and burial will be held later in the spring in Albert Lea.
Lois was born in Albert Lea to Bernard and Doris (Cooper) Pleiss on October 27, 1922. She graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1939. Lois married William Taylor on October 26, 1941; they had one daughter, Katherine “Kitty” Taylor in 1944. Lois and William later divorced. Lois was very proud to live in Albert Lea and was an active citizen where she enjoyed teaching Sunday School at First Lutheran Church and being a member of the PTA. Her dedication to the town resulted in her getting a key to the city — something that she was very proud to have. She later owned The Furniture Mart with C.L. Minehart and worked many years for Interstate Power Company. On June 26, 1964, Lois married Robert “Bob” Schwinefus and moved to Ostrander; they had one son, Jay Schwinefus, in 1966. Lois and Bob spent a lot of their time raising Arabian Horses and established the Hi-Fashion Arabians together with Gerald Flaby.
She is survived by daughter Katherine (Wayne) Mortensen of Chaska, Minn., and son Jay (Missy) Schwinefus of Spring Valley, Minn.; grandchildren Joshua (Pat) Mortensen, Jeffery (Mary) Mortensen, Laney Schwinefus and Haley Schwinefus; five great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren, sister Joyce (Fred) Kinney of Kearney, Mo.; brother-in-law Darrell Huber, sisters-in-law Roselyn (Ray) Engel and Janice Schwinefus, and numerous nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Bob, brother Robert (Ruth) Pleiss, sisters Dorothy (Harvey) Herman and Janet Huber, brothers-in-law Kenneth (Helen) Schwinefus, Don (Virginia) Schwinefus, Dick Schwinefus, and Donald Rollie; and sister-in-law Shirley (Delroy) Des Marais.
The family would like to thank the staff of Spring Valley Living for taking wonderful care of Lois for the last years of her life. Lois’s smile, friendship and love for cookies will be missed by many.
Condolences may be left at www.Hindtfuneralhomes.com