Waneta Joy Bosworth

Waneta Joy (Houska) Bosworth was born August 3, 1934, to Floyd and Faye (Brakke) Houska in Grandma Brakke’s house in Pukwana, South Dakota. She was the fifth of nine children.

Waneta attended Bijou Hills country school, and graduated from Platte High School, where she lived with her sister, Lee, for 4 years. Then Waneta worked at Northwestern Bell as a telephone operator for 3 years in Chamberlain, South Dakota. It was during that time she was honored to be a finalist in the Miss Chamberlain Beauty contest. She married Joseph Bruce Bosworth in June of 1955, and celebrated 68 beautiful years together.

Their first home was in Chamberlain, South Dakota, until Bruce reported to military duty in Fort Benning, Georgia, where their first child, Kelly, was born in 1956. They returned home to Plankinton, South Dakota, where their two girls, Tamra and Jodi, were born. The family then moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where their son, Brett, was born in 1962. In 1963, the family then moved to Linton, ND, where they remained for approximately 6 years. They then moved to Jefferson, Iowa, for a brief time before they moved to Estherville, Iowa in 1970. They built their retirement home in Spirit Lake, Iowa in 1995.

Waneta traveled across the country raising her four children. She was involved in her children’s lives and activities as a Teacher’s Aide, and a 4-H leader. She was a member of the United Methodist Church where she served as a Sunday school teacher and engaged in various social groups. After her children left home, she surrounded herself with wonderful friends and neighbors and kept active in the local communities.

Waneta enjoyed life to its fullest. Her greatest joy was her family: her children - Kelly (Mary) Bosworth of Deephaven, Minnesota; Tamra Fries (Greg) of McKinney, Texas; Jodi Edlin (Lance) of Surprise, Arizona; and Brett (Sue) Bosworth of West Des Moines, Iowa; her nine grandchildren; and eleven great grandchildren.

Waneta is preceded in death by her husband, Bruce, who recently passed; her parents; and her eight siblings.