Loretta Elaine (Bentten) Halfman passed away December 29, 2025 at MercyOne North Iowa Hospital at the age of 93.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00am on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 428 W Walnut St, Manly with Pastor Linda Johnson Prestholt officiating.
Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will follow in the Manly Cemetery.
Memorials may be directed to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, PO Box M, Manly IA 50456.
Loretta was born on December 9, 1932 to Emil and Laura (Thompson) Bentten in a rural home located north of Plymouth, Iowa. She was baptized on June 18, 1933 at the Methodist Evangelical Church in Plymouth. The Bentten family moved from the farm to the town of Manly in 1941. She was confirmed on May 13, 1945 at the English Lutheran Church in Manly. Loretta attended Manly Public School and graduated in 1951.
On April 8, 1959, Loretta was united in marriage to Gene Halfman in the Sacred Heart Rectory located in Manly. They raised 2 children, Linda and Steve.
Gene and Loretta made their home on a farm 2.5 miles north of Manly. Loretta became a farmer’s wife and enjoyed working in the fields. She also worked part-time for the People’s Gas & Electric Co (later known as Interstate Power Co) – at first in Manly, and later she would sub for vacations throughout the north Iowa area. Loretta was also a secretary at the Sacred Heart Church in Manly for many years.
In 1992 Gene and Loretta purchased a home in Manly and Steve and his wife, Deanna took over the family farm.
In Loretta’s younger days, she enjoyed bowling, golfing, and her and Gene would play 500 in a couple different card clubs for many years while on the farm. She enjoyed weekly games of dominos with friends and going to coffee with many friends at HyVee in Mason City and in the later years with friends in Osage each week. In recent years she enjoyed playing Bridge, sewing, cooking, baking bread and always has enjoyed being outdoors. Up through age 92, Loretta looked forward to mowing each summer. Getting on the lawnmower was never a chore to her, but a special time outdoors with nature. Although she had just turned 93, she still enjoyed sewing table runners and experimenting with different yeast bread and sour dough bread recipes. She always shared her baked goods with friends and many times didn’t even save a loaf for herself. She sewed table runners and would give them away to her many friends. A joy in her life was making things and sharing with others.
Loretta enjoyed being around her many friends and keeping up with friends and relatives on the phone daily. She video chatted most weekends with relatives of Gene’s that live in Germany. Loretta always looked forward to seeing her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was sure to not miss any of the sporting events her grandchildren participated in throughout their years in school.
Since 1941, Loretta was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Manly.
Left to cherish her memory are her two children, Linda Halfman of Manly, and Steve (Deanna) Halfman of Manly. Three grandchildren – Cael (Annie) Halfman of Gunter, Texas, Natalie (Joel) Baxley of Norwalk, Iowa, and Lia Halfman, of Manly. Two great-grandchildren Maverick Baxley and Jett Baxley, a sister-in-law – Marilyn Bentten, nieces and nephews, as well as many other family members and good friends.
Preceding Loretta in death are her husband Gene, her parents Emil and Laura Bentten, brothers Elwood Bentten and Gordon Bentten, sister-in-law Elsie Bentten, nephews Robert Bentten and Ronald Bentten.
Bride Colonial Chapel, 110 E Spring St, Manly 641-454-2242 ColonialChapels.com
