Vivian Brendengen

VIVIAN BRENDENGEN

Cedar Rapids

Vivian (Hill) Brendengen passed away Monday, May 5, 2014, at the age of 96. She was born April 1, 1918, in Osbourne, Kan., the daughter of Clarence and Gladys Hill. She was the second of five siblings.

Vivian received a bachelor's degree in Education from Duluth State Teachers College in 1941, where she met her husband, Odin Brendengen. They married June 16, 1942. Odin soon was off to the European

theatre in World War II, while she taught middle school in a small northern Minnesota community. After the war, she and Odin were transferred by the U.S. Army to several bases around the country and after his active duty ended, they settled in Cedar Rapids in 1950. She was initially employed as a proofreader by the Cedar Rapids

Gazette and then after her children were born, she began working in adoptions for Linn County Social Services. She retired in 1986, after having worked her way up to the position of director of the Linn County Social Services Department. After retiring, she spent many years serving on social service boards around the Cedar Rapids area.

Vivian and Odin spent many of their 51 years together traveling around the United States and many foreign countries after retirement. They stayed on army bases and in elderhostels, where they took mini-courses learning about the areas in which they were traveling. She was always active and involved and was not afraid to try something new.

Vivian was a loving wife and mother to her husband and two children. Mom was especially proud of her two children and their families. She was warm, kindhearted, optimistic and intelligent. Her wonderful sense of humor was a trait she and her husband shared in common. They were each other's best audience. She loved to travel, shop, read, play bridge, visit with friends and family, while enjoying every moment of her 96 years. In 2010, she moved to Cottage Grove Place. Mom was a bit apprehensive at first, but once she joined the 4:30 Club, she met a group of friends she truly valued.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Pope for his genuine concern for Mom's health over the years and his professional care for Mom, including a number of house calls which were such a comfort to Mom and her family. Her family also wishes to thank the many personnel at Cottage Grove Place who cared and befriended our mother. She sincerely enjoyed living at Cottage Grove Place.

Mom was a fighter to the very end. We will miss her wisdom and her common sense. We will miss her little routines and her habits and her laughter. She was our friend as well as our mother. It will never be the same and we will miss her terribly.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Odin, in 1993.

Survivors include her daughter, Barbara (Joseph) Braunger of Madison, Wis.; and son, Ronald (Sheryl) Brendengen of Cedar Rapids; three grandchildren, Jennifer Braunger and Hayley and Shannon Brendengen; and a sister, Elaine (Frank) Tancabel of Hibbing, Minn.; as well as 14 nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 10, at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, Following the service, there will be a party in Mom's honor at Cottage Grove Place, 2115 First Ave. SE, in the Sedlacek room from 3 to 5 p.m.

Memorial donations may be directed to the

family.

Please leave an online condolence for the family at www.cedarmemorial.

com under Obituaries.