Iowa City, Iowa Elsa Boedeker,89, formerly of West Branch passed away Wednesday, April 26,2017 in Oaknoll Retirement Residence, Iowa City, Iowa. Funeral service will be held at 1:00 on May 6,2017 at Bethany Lutheran Church in West Branch, Iowa. Family burial will be at the West Branch Cemetery after the funeral service. The Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Branch is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.hendersonbarkerfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be made to Bethany Lutheran Church. Elsa was born in Freudenberg, Germany on April 27th, 1928 the daughter of Horst and Else Bubenzer . She immigrated to Canada in 1956 to marry Hermann Boedeker on February 6, 1957. They then they immigrated to the US in 1959 with their family. They became US citizens April 27th 1965. They raised their family in West Branch, Iowa. She and her husband moved to Oaknoll Retirement Residence in 2004, in Iowa City Iowa. Elsa lived a life of faith and family with love and joy as the foundation of that life. Elsa was creative and enjoyed music and the outdoors very much. She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in West Branch. Elsa was a "caregiver " to children in Germany and continued her work/calling in Iowa with such love that each child understood how special they were. Elsa is survived by her husband Hermann, children Wolfgang (Cyndi), Sylvia and Ralph(Allyson), grandchildren, Marlise (Eduardo) Flores, Matthew; Rebecca, Elizabeth, Rachel, Ryan and great granddaughter Itzel Flores. She was preceded in death by her parents Horst and Else Bubenzer, her siblings Edeltraut, Ursel, Lore and Ullrich, and her granddaughter Sarah Boedeker.