Pola E. Vorwerk

Pola E. Vorwerk, 89, of Preston passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, March 30, 2023, with her husband and children at her side.

Pola Elaine (Kramer) Vorwerk was born on May 5, 1933, the third of nine children, to Paul and Lillian (Ehlen) Kramer in Gibbon, Minn. She was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Gibbon. Pola graduated from Gibbon High School. She married Ronald G. Vorwerk on October 12, 1957, and they moved to Preston, Minn., in 1958. Pola received a dietary assistant certificate from Rochester VoTech and was employed as a dietary supervisor at the Preston Care Center. After her retirement, she had fun working at Das Wurst Haus in Lanesboro, Minn.

Pola’s most cherished moments were spending time with her family. She would travel anywhere to visit and attend events for her children and grandchildren. Back in the day, Pola liked fishing and was quite the bowler. She could be seen speedwalking everywhere or driving her children around Preston to help deliver the Rochester Post Bulletin for 19 years. Pola loved flowers, gardening, canning, needlepoint and baking, for which all of this she was an avid Fillmore County Fair exhibitor. In her later years, she enjoyed having the grandchildren and great grandchildren visit. They made her smile. She also liked watching the birds in her garden and loved to play Scrabble. Pola’s faith was strong throughout her life. She volunteered at the church and made sacrifices to ensure her children were schooled at St. John’s Lutheran school.

She is survived by her husband Ronald, her children Rodney (Lisa Eickhoff) Vorwerk, Rhonda (Kelly) Fitzgerald, Renee (Monty) Collins, Pamela (Mark) Ruen, Patrice (Brian) Brown, and Angela (Jan) Gottschald; as well as 15 grandchildren: Mitchell, Andrew (Courtney), Nathan (Christine), Molly (Grady), Ryan, Keisha (Brandon), Trisha (Brock), Ross (Katie), Kelsey (Sam), Karlee (Tyler), Tyler, David, Paul, Martin and Karsten; and 11 great-grandchildren: Aria, Braxton, Dawson, Paisley, Harper, Aubrey, Autumn, Wyatt, Marshall, Lyla, and Hudson. She is also survived by siblings Barbara Hulke, Kay (Judy) Kramer, Sharon Christensen and sisters-in-law Rita (Kramer) Joerg, Marie Kramer and many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings/in-laws Eugene Kramer, David Kramer, (LeRoy Hulke), Paul (Diane) Kramer, Douglas Kramer, Patricia (Jens) Christensen and (Don Christensen) and nieces and nephews.

Pola’s family would like to thank the staff at Mayo Hospice and Visiting Angels for their wonderful service and care they provided.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Pola at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Wykoff, Minn., on Thursday, April 6, 2023, at 11 a.m. Visitation will be held from 10-11 a.m.  prior to the service at the church. Lunch to follow at the church. In lieu of flowers memorials to go to St. Johns Lutheran School in Wykoff, Minn.

Riley Funeral Home & Cremation Service is assisting the Vorwerk family with arrangements. Online condolences are welcome at rileyfuneralhomes.com