Wanda Schlein, 95, of Oelwein passed away Thursday February 10, 2022 at Oelwein Healthcare Center. Visitation will be from 4:00-6:00 PM on Thursday February 17, 2022 at the Geilenfeld-Buehner Funeral Home in Oelwein. Funeral services will begin at 10:30 AM on Friday February 18, 2022 at the funeral home. Interment will be in Grandview Cemetery at Fayette. A memorial fund has been established.
Wanda Marie (Luckey) Schlein was born on March 21, 1926, the youngest of nine children, to Ernest and Virgie Luckey in Columbus Junction. Following their early deaths, she was adopted at the age of six into the lives of Ralph and Margaret (Ryan) Hood of Independence. Wanda and her adopted parents lived on a farm near Independence until 1942 when he passed away in a farm accident. She and her mother then moved to Independence where she graduated from high school. In 1943 she worked at a bank in Ames for three years before moving back to Independence and continued bank employment until her marriage with William DeHaven in 1946. Two sons, David and Donald, were born to this union.
They moved to Sumner in 1952 as Bill and his partner purchased the John Deere dealership. In 1960 she became bookkeeper for Thermogas Co. of Sumner, where she was employed for 14 years. Wanda and Bill also helped manage the Sumner movie theatre for two years. They lived in Sumner until their marriage was dissolved in 1976.
Wanda met and married Milton Schlein, D.C. in 1978 where they worked together at his chiropractic practice in Postville, until he sold the practice in 1989. Retirement did not appeal to him so they moved to Fayette and opened another clinic later that year. Wanda worked as office manager for Milt until his death in 1993. She moved to Oelwein in 1999 to be closer to her family and resided in her own home until her move in 2019 to Oelwein Healthcare Center.
Wanda was active in the United Methodist churches of Fayette and Sumner. She was a past member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church of Postville and the Presbyterian Church of Independence. She was treasurer at the Fayette Chamber of Commerce for three years and was past president of the American Legion Auxiliary in Sumner. Wanda was a hospital volunteer, worked for betterment programs, volunteered for Scout work and was active in the Republican Party. Her interests included golf, bowling, watching the Chicago Cubs, Iowa Hawkeyes, Hallmark movies and playing cards. Wanda had a great sense of humor and loved to say things to make people laugh. In 2020 she was voted Valentine’s Day Queen at Oelwein Healthcare Center.
Wanda is survived by her two sons: David (Charlotte) DeHaven and Donald (Val Green) DeHaven of Oelwein; her step-son Dennis (Baomin Lu) Schlein of Waverly; her step-daughter Roxann (Gary) Kerr Lindsey of Overland Park, KS; her foster daughters: Deborah (Daryll) Steinberg of Howard Lake, MN and Cinthia (Don) Schmitt of Canton, GA; her former daughters-in-law: Dee DeHaven and Carolyn Spence; her ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Wanda was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; two brothers; six sisters; and close friend Paul Moser, DVM.
