LIVESTREAM LINK FOR LORNA BRANDT

LORNA DEANA BRANDT, 81, formerly of Cherokee, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, January 4, 2026 at Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids, Iowa.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee, Iowa.  Mr. Don Tisthammer will officiate.  Visitation with the family present will be from 10:00 a.m. until service time on January 17th at the church.  Burial will be held at a later date in the Holstein Cemetery. The Boothby Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.  Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com.

Lorna was born on her family farm in Cherokee County, Iowa on June 26, 1944, to Nels and Vera (Rasche) Brandt.  She and her twin sister, Linda, completed the Brandt family when they joined their older brothers, Ray and William.  She enjoyed living on the farm and attended a small school in Quimby, where she was respected by her peers for her strong spelling skills. After the loss of her father, the family moved into a house in Holstein, where Lorna finished out her school days and graduated from Holstein High School in 1962.

Lorna then worked for six years to save money to attend college.  She held several jobs, including the ASCS office in Cherokee and the lab at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.  It was at that job where she decided she wanted to go to college and work in medical records.  She was asked to teach some courses in her field and was a well-respected teacher.  After graduating from college, Lorna began her career in medical records at Marian Health in Sioux City and remained there until she took a position at the Sioux Valley Memorial Hospital in Cherokee to be closer to family.

When Lorna's mother moved in with her during her golden years, Lorna got the privilege of helping the woman who taught her to face the many challenges in her life with positivity and resilience.  This was a skill she was happy to pass on to others. In later years, she moved in with her brother, William and his wife Janice.  Shortly afterwards, due to William's failing health, she and Janice moved to Park View Apartments in Coon Rapids, Iowa, where they both made good friends and enjoyed their living spaces.  Lorna enjoyed quilting, sewing, baking, reading, singing, puzzles, and most of all her church, family and dogs.

Lorna was welcomed into Heaven by her parents, grandparents, brother (William), brother-in-law (Lowell) , aunts, uncles, cousins, and many friends.

On her way to Heaven, Lorna stopped by the Rainbow Bridge to be greeted and accompanied by her beloved dogs, Sam, Dewey, and Simon.

Left here on Earth to celebrate Lorna's life are her brother Ray (Marlene) Brandt, sister Linda Bowden, sister-in-law Janice Brandt, and Aunt Fern Ehrlich; 11 nieces and nephews, 20 great nieces and nephews, and 10 great-great nieces and nephews who will all miss her dearly.