JoAnn Harriette (Stoenner) Lenger

JoAnn Lenger, 93, of Hermann, MO passed way Saturday November 8th at StoneBridge Nursing Home in Hermann.

JoAnn was born in St. Louis, MO on August 30th, 1932 the only child of Wallace and Irmgard (Drusch) Stoenner.  JoAnn lived her entire life in Hermann, MO except for her freshman year of high school when the family briefly relocated to West Plains , MO due to Wally’s job transfer.  She graduated Hermann High School in 1950 and immediately found employment at Ritepoint as an Office Clerk and remained employed there and later MetalWorks thru 1964.

She married Wilfred (Curley) Lenger on April 9th, 1951 at St. Paul’s UCC Hermann.  Two children were born of this marriage, Darin Lenger of Ballwin and Dana Bruckerhoff of Rhineland.  Family was her priority and she always had dinner on the table at 5:30 every night and worked hard to make sure the kid’s needs were met.  To help financially she returned to work in 1979 as a school cook in the Hermann R1 school district until she retired in 1992.   Wilfred and JoAnn enjoyed 43 years of marriage until Wilfred’s untimely passing on October 30th, 1994.  She remained in the family home they built on Stone Hill Hwy from 1955 to 2021 until her move to Victorian Place where she served as ambassador welcoming new residents.

As a widow for 30+ years, JoAnn had many hobbies and passions to occupy her time.  She attended church regularly and enjoyed traveling including bus trips.  She enjoyed raising miniature schnauzers first Shotsie, then Tangie and Heidi.  She made homemade quilts and enjoyed reading John Grisham and James Patterson Novels.  She became an avid Cardinals baseball fan particularly in her later years rarely missing a game preferring the radio broadcast over television. She had a sharp mind and could discuss the top news stories of the day and was good at pinochle.  She was proud to have reached the aged of 90 and celebrated the occasion with a pair of tattoos.  And of course, she enjoyed spoiling her three grandsons.

JoAnn will be remembered as a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and neighbor.  She was a kind soul who was always putting the needs of others ahead or her own.  As her health failed in her later years she was strong and courageous to the very end and an inspiration to all.

JoAnn is survived by her son Darin Lenger and wife Teresa of Ballwin, MO, a daughter Dana Bruckerhoff and husband Marty of Rhineland MO and three grandsons, Derek Lenger, Cody Bruckerhoff, and Dylan Bruckerhoff and fiancé Kelsey Eddleman.

She is preceded in death by her parents and husband Wilfred.

Visitation will be held Thursday, November 13th from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul United Church of Christ, Hermann, where funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Andy Wilson officiating. 
 
Burial will be at Hermann Cemetery, Hermann, Missouri.  Memorials may be given to the Hermann High School Band Boosters or St. Paul’s UCC.