Wanetta Lenius

Wanetta Virginia (Perrine) Lenius, 89, passed away peacefully on an early Sunday morning May 3, 2020 at the Emmanuel Nursing Home in Detroit Lakes, MN.

She was born December 13, 1930 in Blue Earth, MN to Ignatius  Donley (Don) Perrine Sr. and Minnie New Year (Miller) Perrine.  The family later moved up to Becker County where they purchased land next to Height of Land Lake where they farmed for many years. She grew up helping on the family farm, attending school at the local country schoolhouse and later in Frazee.  Later she met and married Walter Lenius in 1950. They made their home in rural Detroit Lakes. After their divorce in 1966, she lived in Detroit Lakes. Later moving out west to Portland, OR.  Here she worked for a retirement/nursing home care facility until her retirement.

She enjoyed spending time on the Pacific coast, traveling and sightseeing up and down the Columbia River valley. She especially enjoyed spending time with family and her many friends and playing bingo. She carried her life in her large purse wherever she went, and she loved to share pictures of her grandchildren. She truly had a heart of gold to care for others, a trait we are told that she inherited from her mother. And to use one of her frequently used lines…” oh for Heaven’s sake.”

She is survived by children:  Larry (Debbie) Lenius of Moorhead, MN, Linda Lenius of Detroit Lakes, MN, Wayne (Jansie) Lenius of Grand Rapids, MN, Mark Lia of Gresham, OR, and Tammy Lia-Thomson of Vancouver, WA.   Grandchildren:  Samuel and Laura.  Jessica, Angela, Alexander, and Andrew. William and Hannah. Austin and Caitlin.  Eight great grandchildren. Plus, a lifelong friend and dear sister in-law Florence Perrine.

She is preceded in death by her parents, siblings Doning, Nathan, Nash, Janice, Marie, Mildred, Gordon, Lenard and Lyle, and a son Wesley Lenius.

The family would like to extend its sincere gratitude for the care their mother (grandmother) received while residing at the Emmanuel  Nursing Home in Detroit Lakes.