Lela Mae (Bengtson) Jedda

Lela Mae (Bengtson) Jedda passed away peacefully on November 28, 2018, at Scandia House of Pine City. Lela was born Lela Mae Wycoff on April 27, 1920, in Bloomer, Wisconsin, to Archibald and Emma (Skinner) Wycoff. Lela was the ninth out of a family of 11 which included three half siblings. The family soon moved to Cumberland, Wisconsin, where Lela and her siblings grew up. With Archibald’s passing, Emma and her children worked together to survive the depression years.

After high school Lela was working in Luck, Wisconsin, where she met and fell in love with Pete Bengtson of Rush City. They were married January 20, 1942, while Pete was on leave from the U.S. Army Air Corps, and Lela moved to Rush City. Soon after a family was started with David (1944), Gene (1946) and Connie (1955). After the war they farmed, and Lela also worked part time until she was 70 for Nessel Hardware, which became Bohaty Hardware. Over these years she not only cared for her immediate family but also nieces, nephews, elderly in-laws, aunts and uncles. After Pete died in 1973, Lela went on bus tours around the United States for her vacations. When she was semi-retired, Lela began booking the tours to offset her traveling expenses. On one of these trips she met her second love, Victor Jedda. They were married June 22, 1984, and made their home in Virginia, Minnesota. Vic passed away while they were traveling in Banff National Park, July 25, 1984. She moved back to Rush City and resided there until the fall of 2009 when she moved to Edgewater Assisted Living in Pine City.

Lela loved her family and enjoyed planning and cooking for family gatherings and holidays. Time with friends was spent crocheting, playing cards, working at church and the VFW, and traveling. Researching the Wycoff family genealogy, visiting the Wycoff home and museum and then organizing a Wycoff reunion held in Wycoff, Minnesota, gave her a great deal of enjoyment and pride.

Lela is survived by her children David (Bertha) Bengtson and Gene (Paula) Bengtson all of Rush City, Connie Anderson of Buffalo, Wyoming; stepdaughter Vickie (Daniel) Kotnik of Virginia; step son-in-law Richard Theis of Champlin; grandchildren Keith (Patty Lemke) Bengtson of Babbitt, Kari (Cristoph) Nathan of Lantana, Texas, Craig Bengtson of Dallas, Texas, Kevin Bengtson of Scottsdale, Arizona, Astridita of Minneapolis, Jacob (Rochelle) Anderson of Eagle, Colorado, Jenny Anderson of Spearfish, South Dakota; step-grandchildren Jessica (Jeremey) Lehman and Katrina (Ben) Harkonen all of Virginia, Kelly (Jim Pipes) Taff of Mahtomedi, and Kara (Ben) Skjold of St. Paul; great-grandchildren Torunn Anderson and Memphis Bengtson; step-great-grandchildren Ethan Lehman, Kelsey Taff, Cody Taff, Joseph Pipes, Henry Skjold and William Skjold; brother-in-law Einar (Carla) Bengtson of Washington and many nieces and nephews.

Lela is preceded in death by her parents Archibald and Emma Wycoff; husbands Pete Bengtson and Victor Jedda; half-brothers Harold Wycoff and Al (Minnie) Wycoff; half-sister Hazel (Leo) Severson; brothers Lloyd (Esther) Wycoff, Norman (Margaret) Wycoff, and Robert (Mary) Wycoff; sisters Esther (Glen) Wilder, Lillian Wycoff, Helen (George) Johannsen and Deloris (Herbert) Hallett; son-in-law Gary Anderson; step-daughter Barbara Theis; and nieces and nephews.

Pastor Nathan Baker-Trinity will officiate at funeral services for Lela: 11 AM; Saturday, December 22, 2018 with a gathering of family and friends planned for one hour prior to the service all at The First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Rush City.

Memorials may be directed to: First Lutheran Church of Rush City, Fairview Hospice or a charity of donors choice.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the:
Funeral And Cremation Service of Rush City ~ Olson Chapel www.FuneralAndCremationService.com