Orlene E (Reiner) Henke

Orlene Emma Henke, 97, of Hannover, ND passed away Friday, March 7, 2025 at Elm Crest Manor, New Salem, ND. Services will be held at 11:00 AM CDT on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Hannover with Pastor Zelwyn Heidi officiating. Burial will take place in the church cemetery.

Orlene was born on December 10, 1927, north of Hannover to Emil and Eleanora (Bargman) Reiner, the second of six children. She was a lifelong member of St. Peter Lutheran Church and was baptized on January 8, 1928 and confirmed April 6, 1941.  She attended country school near Hannover and grew up on the family farm South of Hannover. She married Ervin Henke on December 29, 1953 at St. Peter Lutheran Church and the couple raised five children, Lynette, Curtis, Vernon, Eileen and Marlo. Orlene and Ervin lived on the family farm for most of their lives retiring in their early 70’s. Orlene helped with milking cows, raising chickens, did the gardening, and canning. Besides working the farm and raising children, Orlene and Ervin were janitors at the church for many years.

Orlene was active in the Lutheran Women’s’ Missionary League (LWML), was a Sunday school teacher for many years, as well as a member of the Hannover Farmerettes homemakers club. Orlene loved to spend time outside with her flowers, embroidery and sewing, a good crossword puzzle or word search, playing games, especially cards and dominoes. She was a baker of the best kind, known throughout her family for her buns, kuchen, and especially all those chocolate chip cookies! She enjoyed a good book and her daily devotions. Most of all, Orlene loved to spend time with her family.

Orlene is survived by her five children, Lynette (Ken) Stayton of Toole, UT, Curt (Char) Henke of Liberty, MO, Vern (Zoe) Henke of Hannover, Eileen (Mark) Johnson of Hatton, ND and Marlo (Keith) Walz of Donnelly, ID; 16 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; one brother, Warren (Delores) Reiner of New Salem; one sister, Cheryl Anderson of Walhalla and two sisters-in-law, Marlene Reiner of Westpoint, NE, and Millie Bueligen of New Salem, ND; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ervin; her parents; three brothers, Willard, Glenn, and Marvin; four brothers-in-law, Clifton Anderson, Ruben (Dorene) Henke, Wilbert Henke, and Herbert (Harriet) Henke; three sisters-in-law Dorothy (William) Hintz, Hilda (Forrest) Jensen, Adeline (Louis) Wilkens, and one infant sister-in-law Rosette Henke.

In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to St. Peter Lutheran Church or the Orphan Grain Train.

Arrangements are conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Orlene E (Reiner) Henke, please visit our floral store.