Lynette “Lyn” Bahnsen passed away Sunday July 10th, 2022 surrounded by loved ones after a short battle with cancer.

Lyn was born December 26, 1960, in Sioux City, Iowa to Norma Jeanne and Delbert Lee Bahnsen. Lyn was the eldest daughter. She grew up in Fremont, Nebraska where, as a young girl, she enjoyed riding her bike and swimming in the river. Lyn relocated to Hiawatha, Kansas with her family at the age of 17. Here Lyn met her first husband and the father of her children, Gary Meisenheimer, while waitressing at a local hot spot. They were shortly after married on March 2, 1979. They welcomed their first child, Nicholas, the following January and then followed their daughters Ashlee, Jacklyn, Kayla, and Ariel.

Lyn was a homemaker during her children’s upbringing, spending her days teaching her children and cooking. She was involved in the Robinson Lion’s Club and Robinson Baseball Association. She loved camping and fishing with her family. Gary and Lyn had a construction business G & L Construction for which she helped maintain the bookkeeping. She would later, when her children were older, take accounting courses at Highland Community College. Gary and Lyn were divorced in 1997 and Lyn moved to Nebraska where she lived for the next 17 years.

Lyn retired due to health issues in 2012 and moved back to Hiawatha in 2014 to be closer to family. She would later meet her fiancé Edwin “Packy” Parker. Her greatest joys were spending time with her grandchildren and weekends at the lake with Packy. She was also very passionate about her gardening. Lyn will always be remembered for her wonderful ability to work with what she had and make things beautiful.

She was preceded in death by her mother Norma Jeanne Monroe; her stepfather Milo Molitor; and her grandparents Sterling “Stub” and Lola Armstrong.

Lyn is survived by her children Nicholas Meisenheimer, Ashlee (Nathan) Simpson, Jacklyn (Jeffrey) Kerr, Kayla (Christopher) Williams, and Ariel (Jack) Blanton; 17 grandchildren; her siblings Doug Bahnsen of Fremont, Nebraska; Cindy (Ron) VanEpps of Hays, Kansas; Lisa (Larry) Wilke of Emporia, Kansas; and Bryan (Kaori) Molitor of Honolulu, Hawaii.

A visitation will be held on Friday July 29th at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home from 6 until 7:30 that evening. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday July 30th at 10:00 am at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home with Pastor Richard Lehmkuhl officiating. Graveside services will follow at the Mount Hope Cemetery.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Hope Brown County cancer fund sent in care of the funeral home, 124 S 7th St., 66434.

A special message may be sent to the family at www.chapeloaksfuneralhome.com