Lois I. Scherbing, 88, was surrounded by her loving family when she passed from her Earthly life ascending to her eternal Heavenly home on March 4, 2023 at 12:35 PM.
On January 29th 1935, Lois Irene Ekberg was born in Mille Lacs, Minnesota. She was a treasured daughter of Hilding and Agnes (Bjurstrom) Ekberg The Ekberg kids grew up in Foley, Minnesota, on the farm. Lois shared her childhood with seven siblings; Bob, Allan, Jerry, Lorraine, Avis, Arliss, and Ione. She spent many of her days on the farm cleaning and scrubbing the house while the others would help tend to the farm animals. It was during these formative years that Lois developed a strong work ethic, a sense of teamwork and a great love for her family.
Lois always made it a priority to attend school regardless of what the weather. She would always take a horse and sled to school when the Minnesota winters brought much snow and blizzards abound. She exclaimed that her eyelids were nearly frozen with ice when she finally arrived to school. Lois was especially proud of getting the highest marks in her class. She impressed upon her children the value of education and doing your best.
After graduating from Harlem High School in Rockford, IL in 1953, Lois fell in love and married the love of her life, Loren W. Scherbing on November 27, 1954. Their love was so true as demonstrated by the large box of letters she saved for her entire life from Loren, written to her while he was away in the service. Grandma spoke of Loren until her very last days and reflected on how amazing he was thru the years. He was very attentive to her and always took care of household duties, working and tending to her every need.
The Scherbings shared a splendid marriage and from their union came three wonderful children Ken, Connie, and Sandi. The family grew up with a variety of pets and enjoyed adventure and a very fun household. Meals were always homemade until all the children graduated. There were projects being built in the garage by Grandpa while Grandma was preparing dinner. Rochester was also where she discovered her lifetime employer Torx Products “A Division of Camcar-Textron. '' She worked as a buyer and forecaster of products. Grandma Lois always said that there were lines of people awaiting her knowledge and expertise with reports about the different products Torx bought and sold.
Grandma and Grandpa were both avid Twins and Vikings fans and enjoyed watching the games regularly. More recently, Grandma enjoyed watching college basketball. She also liked listening to many artists such as Dean Martin, Elvis Pressley and Frank Sinatra. Grandma also loved spending time folding her laundry and making sure that everything was put away perfectly.
Lois developed diverse interests. She was an avid bowler. As a bicyclist, she bravely took her three wheeled bike down the big hill next to the high school with only one spill that required hospitalization. As a fast walker Lois would walk daily up and down Park Road and around the high school thru the rain, sleet and snow. She was also proud of her amazing skills behind the wheel of a car. Notorious for being a speed demon when given the keys to the old Buick, she claimed to be “the best driver on ice," which she quickly revoked after she took Connie and Sandi on a winter drive to South Bend and did a full 360 in the middle of highway 31 in an ice storm. Shortly thereafter, she gave up driving after she drove with a large children's swimming pool stuck under her car all the way across town, completely unaware of the sparks a flying !
Other hobbies included being a plate/spoon/ bell collector/ and an office supplies enthusiast. Grandma was an avid gifter. She was ready every Christmas and for many Christmases ahead. She compiled lists tracking what everyone got that year and what they would like to get for the next year from 1970's to date.
As the matriarch of the Scherbing family, Lois answered to many different names or titles, her most cherished was grandmother and mom. She always enjoyed being among all of her family: grandkids, nieces, nephews, son, and daughters. There were always Sunday dinners where Grandma got to show off her expertise in the Kitchen. She was especially known for making banana bread, spaghetti, Spanish noodles, beans and wieners, fruit salad, blueberry dessert, angel food birthday cakes, cheesy potatoes, cream peas, vegetable soup (where she and Loren cut up all the vegetables for the greatest homemade taste).
No words can describe her greatness as a mother, grandmother, sister, wife, aunt, daughter Grandma Lois was to everyone. We will all miss her so much and carry her memory in our hearts as we live the rest of our lives.
Left to cherish Lois' memory are daughter Sandi Good of Rochester; son Ken Scherbing and wife Joan of Tippecanoe; seven grandchildren, Stacia Conrad and husband Brent, Joey Burkett and wife Karissa, Trisha Wilson and companion Ben Rickel, Landon Good and wife Lexie of Rochester, Layton Good and wife Shana Jo of Rochester, Jeffrey Good II of Rochester, Jakob Good of Rochester; ten great grandchildren, Kinzie Conrad, Mason Conrad, Brantley Burkett, Larson Good, Luken Good, Laylynn Good, Dawson Perkins, Delilah Wilson, Denver Wilson, De Mira Wilson; two sisters, Ione Gustafson, Lorraine Seagren, a brother Allan Ekberg and wife Sheila all of Rockford, IL and several nieces and nephews.
Welcoming Lois to Heaven for the grand reunion are her parents Hilding and Agnes Ekberg, beloved husband of 46 years Loren, daughter Connie Burkett, two sisters Arliss Beehler, Avis Ekberg, two brothers Bob Ekberg and Jerry Ekberg.
A celebration of the life of Lois Irene Scherbing will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 11, 2023 in the Good Family Funeral Home 1200 West 18 St., Rochester. Chaplain Wyatt Smith will officiate.
Friends may visit with the family from 4-7 PM on Friday, March 10, 2023 and one hour prior to the service in the funeral home.
Interment will be in the Rochester IOOF Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Center for Hospice Care, 112 South Center St., Plymouth, IN 46563
