Lena Dora Killion, age 98, of Oakland, Iowa, passed away at her home on August 13, 2026, just three weeks shy of her 99th birthday.
A funeral service for Lena will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 1:00 p.m., at the Oakland Christian Church. Visitation with the family will take place one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the Oaklawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Oakland Christian Church or the Jennie Edmundson Foundation. Rieken Vieth Funeral Home in Oakland is assisting the family.
She was born September 4, 1927, to the late John and Mary (Niemann) Schorsch. Lena grew up on the family farm located just outside of Bentley, Iowa. She graduated from Underwood High School with the class of 1945. After graduation, she began working as a secretary for Father Flanagan at Boy’s Town in Omaha. On February 2, 1947, she married Richard Killion, and they moved to the Killion family farm, where she continued to live until her passing.
Lena was a member of the Oakland Christian Church. She enjoyed sewing, gardening, fishing, and rock collecting. There are many fond memories of yearly fishing trips with friends to Otter Tail, MN and fun times with family at Lake Okoboji. Lena especially loved doting on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Many of whom claimed to be her favorite. Lena was fun-loving, had a great sense of humor, and was silly to the end.
In addition to her parents, Lena was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; her daughters, Linda Hartje and Jeannine Orris; her son-in-law, Dr. James Hartje; her sisters, Martha Case and Betty Evans; and her brothers, Carl Schorsch and William Schorsch.
Lena is survived by her sons, Dean Killion (Kim) and Rick Killion (Jill); eight grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; sister Jacqueline Minikus (Danny); sister-in-law Pauline Schorsch; brother-in-law Don Killion and many nieces and nephews.
