Ilene Marion Deyo

Ilene Marion Deyo, 86, passed away at her home in Springfield, Missouri, on August 31, 2025, while being cared for by her son, James Jorgensen. Ilene was born on December 12, 1938, in McGregor, Iowa to Bill and Marion Wilkinson. They soon moved Ilene and her sister, Billie, to Austin, Minnesota. Ilene graduated from Austin High School in 1956. While attending school, she was active in swimming, tennis, and writing poetry.

Shortly after high school, she married Jerry Jorgensen. Together they had two children, Lynne Ward (Jorgensen) and James Jorgensen. Jerry and Ilene separated in 1971. In 1973, she married Ferris Christenson and remained married to him until he passed in 1996.

Throughout life, Ilene worked at various jobs. She was a bank teller, owned rental real estate, worked at Nemitz Book Store, and also the Hormel Institute. Her most notable employment was working for her parents, Bill and Marion Wilkinson who had bought Klagge’s Ice Cream Store from Elmer Klagge in 1965. In 1971, she purchased Klagge’s from her parents and ran the store until the late 1970’s. Elmer Klagge, a close family friend, often continued to help make ice cream while Ilene and her parents owned Klagge’s. Ilene was an intelligent hard worker with a lot of determination to get things done, that, plus her exceptional cooking abilities, made Klagge’s a successful venture for her.

In her spare time, she loved fishing, gardening, reading books, lake life, and Bible studies. She attended church at the First United Methodist Church, Open Bible Church, and New Life Vineyard Christian Fellowship while in the Austin area.

In 1997, she married Maynard Deyo and they enjoyed a wonderful retirement life together. Traveling, fishing, boating, sightseeing, gardening, entertaining, and hobbies and crafts. They had a lake home on Lake Jefferson in Minnesota where they stayed during the summer months and then wintered in Mesa, Arizona, they both were very active in their Arizona 55 plus park, cooking for the park at events, entertainment, management and other activities.

After Maynard passed in 2022, she moved to Springfield, Missouri to be closer to her son, Jim, his wife, Mandie, and their son, Noah. Last winter, Ilene helped her son and Mandie afford an IVF embryo transfer that resulted in Mandie being pregnant. Ilene was very excited that she had another grandson on the way! She’s also survived by her grandson, Zachary Jason, his wife, Kim, and her great-grandkids, Joshua, Audrey, Emmalyn, and Eric. Also, stepchildren, Mike Deyo and his wife, Joyce, John Deyo and his wife, Lisa, Rick Deyo and his wife, Jill, Lisa Beals, and several Deyo grandkids.

She was preceded in death by Jerry Jorgensen, Ferris Christenson, her daughter, Lynne Ward (Jorgensen), sister, Billie Farnsworth, and Maynard Deyo.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 17, 2025, at Worlein-Hoff Funeral Home in Austin, Minnesota. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery, Austin. Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes of Austin are assisting the family with arrangements.