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Angelina “Nena” Fricke, 57, of Mount Ayr, passed away Friday, June 16, 2023, at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. A visitation will be held 6-8 p.m. Thursday, June 22 at Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr with services at 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be held at a later date in Rose Hill Cemetery in Mount Ayr.
A memorial fund has been established in her name to be decided later. Online condolences may be left at www.armstrongfh.com.
Angelina Kay Fricke was born Nov. 6, 1965, daughter of Donald Edward and Retha Jean (Middleton) Hiebing in Davenport. On March 5, 1971, Nena’s mom married Harold Lorraine Ness Sr. Retha and Harold raised her, along with her siblings, in Mount Ayr.
As Nena grew up, she was active in basketball, band, choir and O.E.A. Nena graduated from Mount Ayr High School with the class of 1984. While in high school, she worked at Clearview Home, a job she continued after graduation. In addition to Clearview Home, Nena worked on road construction crews as a flagger and eventually as a heavy equipment operator.
On Feb. 23, 1995, Nena married Perry Fricke. To this marriage two children were born: Jessica in 1995 and Brett in 1996. They lived in Kellerton, New Florence, Missouri, and Oregon before moving back to Missouri in 2002.
On Nov. 24, 2008, tragedy struck the family when they were involved in an accident that took the lives of her husband and son. Nena and Jessica survived and after much determination and rehabilitation they returned to Mount Ayr. Nena worked at Dollar General and Mount Ayr Inn & Suites.
Nena was outgoing, friendly and strong willed. She was very forthright in her opinions and told you “Like it is!” She enjoyed animals, especially dogs, which included Pucky. She had a deep love for her family, and she loved and cared for her daughter Jessica.
Nena is survived by her daughter, Jessica Fricke of Mount Ayr; siblings: Harold (Linda) Ness, Jr of Des Moines, Cherie (Lonnie) McGlynn of Urbandale, Ed (Jolene) Hiebing of Leon, Susan (Ron) Gilbert of Van Wert and Ronda Thurman of Van Wert; several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Perry; son, Brett; her mother, Retha Ness; fathers Donald Hiebing and Harold Ness, Sr; her grandparents and aunts and uncles.