Wilhelmine Sonksen nee Asmus, second daughter of Dethlef and Christine (Fischer) Asmus was born in Lincoln Township, Audubon County, Iowa, September 7, 1883. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith in 1898.

On February 17, 1909, she was united in marriage with Boyd Sonksen to which union four children were born, two daughters: Mrs. Christina Albertsen and Mrs. Leona Diest of Audubon and two sons Dethlef and Henry at home, who are left to mourn the death of the mother, besides the bereaved husband and father, Mr. Boyd Sonksen. She also leaves three grandchildren, her aged mother, Mrs. Christine Asmus, two sisters, Mrs. Dora Sonksen, Mrs. Anna Ahrendsen and two brothers, Willie and Henry Asmus all of Audubon, three uncles and two aunts and a host of other relatives and friends.

The deceased lived on a farm near Gray her entire married life. She and her husband observed their Silver wedding anniversary on February 17, 1934.

For the past three years the deceased had been in failing health although she had been able to be up and around until the last five weeks when her condition became worse. She quietly slumbered away into eternity Friday morning, December 24, 1937, at eight o'clock at the age of 54 years, 3 months, and 17 days.

All that skill and loving hands could do proved of no avail.

Funeral services were held on Monday, December 27, 1937, at 1:30 P.M. at the Lutheran Church in Lincoln Township, Rev. Israel of Manilla officiating.

Interment was made at the Manning Cemetery. A large number of friends and, relatives attended.

Those acting as pallbearers were Bernard Sonksen, Willie Ahrendsen, Harold Asmus, Hugo Ahrendsen, Herbert Hass, and Joe Sonksen.

Mrs. Sonksen was a life time resident of Audubon County. She lived an exceptional Christian life and was a faithful and loving wife, devoted and self-sacrificing as a mother, kind, charitable and helpful as a neighbor, consistent and willing as a Christian worker.

She dropped asleep, the gates were lifted and she passed into eternal springtide of youth and happiness.

In Memory of Mrs. Boyd Sonksen
We have lost our darling Mother,
She has bid us all adieu,
She has gone to live in heaven
And her form is last to view.
O that dear ones how we loved her
O how hard to give her up,
But an Angel came and took her
And removed her from our sight.
Farewell. Mother sweet thy rest,
Weary with years and worn with pain.

The body is resting at the Ohde Funeral Home, and will be taken to the church at 12:30 p.m. Monday. Pastor George B. Eschenbacher will officiate. Pallbearers will be Clarence Grundmeier, Merlin Schroeder, Ben D. Joens, William Vollstedt, Ed Steen, and Grover Steen.

Mrs. Sonksen had been ill for the past six months, and died at the home of her son, Joe Steen, in Manning.

Wilhelmine "Minnie" was born February 21, 1885, at Lost Nation, a daughter of Friederich and Catherine (Mohr) Steen, coming to Manning at the age of five years. On February 8, 1903, she married John Sonksen. They farmed near Manning and moved into town 46 years ago.

Surviving are her husband and the following children: Mrs. Malinda Bornhoft, Manning; Arnold Sonksen, Botna; Joe Sonksen, Manning; Walter Sonksen, Minneapolis, Minnesota; also a nephew, Herman Schmidt, and a niece, Mrs. Velma Gunter, both of whom were reared in the Sonksen home; four grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Robert Dittman, Harris, Minnesota; and two brothers, Joe Steen, Manning; and William Steen, Knier.
Carroll Daily Times Herald, April 15, 1961