Wanda Merle Thorwall
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Wanda Merle Thorwall, 96, of Rockford, passed away on Saturday, October 29, 2022 at Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center. Born September 6, 1926, in Waseca, MN, the daughter of Charles P.H. and Mabel C. (Johnson) Jebe. Graduate of Sandstone High School, Class of 1944 and Free Church Bible Institute in June 1947. Wanda married Rev. LaReau N. Thorwall on February 27, 1948 in Minneapolis, MN. He predeceased her on August 3, 2017.
Her attitude toward others was "You first." Where she lived her final years she blessed the staff with the attitude, "Whatever you think is best for me is fine."
She grew up during the Depression. As a teen she thought seeing Chicago would be her greatest adventure. She traveled extensively with Dad and loved going to Israel. She walked where Jesus walked. She played trucks, dolls, and monopoly with her grandkids. She read books with her kids and grandkids.
Her love of others knew no boundaries. She taught us the Bible and now knows the answers to all the hard questions. Of course, the answers don't matter the same way when you are present with your Heavenly Father.
After Dad passed away, she wondered why God let her continue to live. She felt incapable of continuing to serve Him as her body failed her. But in her own way she continued to minister and be a blessing to anyone around her. God continued to teach us how to live through her living.
Late on a Saturday night she went to be with Jesus for eternity. Absent from the body, present with her Lord. She was loved by many and will be missed.
We gained so much from her in our lives that any perception of loss is temporal, temporary, and negligible. Any sorrow in our loss is much, much smaller than our joy in her gain.
She is survived by her children, Brenton (Vicki) Thorwall and Kevan (Liz) Thorwall; son-in-law, Timothy Shaffer; grandchildren, Kara, Drew (Melissa), Sean (Ann), Jason (Jennifer), Britt (Andrew Faris), and Morgan (Christian Bondoc); great-grandchildren, Belle, Obed, Axel, Simeon, Brooke, Alexa, LaReau, Amos, and Daniel; and sisters, Phyllis (Arnold) Adascheck and Suzanne Paulson. Also predeceased by her parents; daughter, Jocelyn Shaffer and brothers, Howard, Marvin, Rolland, and Stanley Jebe.
Private graveside services in Arlington Memorial Park. To sendcondolences or share a memory, visitolsonfh.com