Iona "Onie" H. Mensch, 97, of Fort Wayne, Ind., died on May 20, 2024. Onie was born on Valentine's Day in Austin, Texas, where she lived with her grandparents and aunt and uncle for much of her childhood while her mother, Dr. Iona (Cuyler) Hamlett, completed a doctorate at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., becoming a clinical psychologist at the Fort Wayne State Hospital. Onie joined her mother in Fort Wayne and graduated with honors from North Side High School in 1945.

Onie proudly followed in her mother's footsteps, continuing to pave the way for other determined family members by pursuing an education at IU, where she joined the Pi Beta Phi sorority sisterhood and met her future husband James R. Mensch MD. She graduated from IU in 1949 with honors and had regular joyful reunions with her sorority sisters for many years. Together, James and Onie traveled extensively, relished home life on Forest Park Boulevard in Fort Wayne and, most importantly, grew a large and beautiful family. They shared 41 years of partnership before James preceded her in death on January 3, 1992.

Onie will be remembered as a nature lover who could identify any plant she encountered; a night sky observer who enjoyed spotting constellations, comets and planets; an advocate for science and child education, having volunteered for many years at Fox Island County Park and Science Central; an IU basketball fan who always carved out time to watch a game; a night owl who would answer the phone to chat at any hour; and everyone's favorite valentine.

She was a mom, gramma and gigi of many talents, including plant and flower tending, pie making, nature hike leading, poker winning and crossword completing. She made black-eyed peas for good luck every New Year's Day, collected items featuring partridges in pear trees, and owls, and admired the wild daisies and birds in her backyard through her large living room windows, and was the family Jeopardy aficionado.
She was preceded in death by her husband; a son, Steven Mensch; her mother; and her sister, Sarah Suzanne "Sally" (Hamlett) Haggard.

She will be greatly missed by her surviving family by: sons, James R. (Karen-Jo) Mensch Jr., of Chicago, Ill., and Thomas (Pamela) Mensch, of Fort Wayne; daughters, Theresa (Brian) Kelley, of Englewood, Colo., Sarah Hull, of Fort Wayne, and Iona "Onie" H. Mensch, of Fort Wayne; a daughter-in-law, Ann Mensch, of Fort Wayne; grandchildren, Tyler (Gretchen) Mensch, of Noblesville, Ind., Thomas (Shae) Mensch, of Fort Wayne, Andrea Mensch, of Wauwatosa, Wis., Peter (Erika) Mensch, of Fort Wayne, Charles L. Mensch, of Fort Wayne, Ray (Meagan) Kelley, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Alex Kelley, of Newark, Del., Dan (Liz) Kelley, of Denver, Colo., Riley Hull, of Cincinnati, Ohio, Brendan (Rachel) Mensch, of Fort Wayne, Kevan (Britni) Mensch, of Fort Wayne, Kristan (Zachary) Seitz, of Fort Wayne, and Ellen (Kody) Mensch, of Fort Wayne; and great-grandchildren, Ella, Halle and Camille Mensch of Noblesville; Noah and Lucas Haberman of Wauwatosa; and Thomas and Margot Mensch; Leo, Mila and Nadia Mensch; Mya, Lincoln and Jude Mensch; and Julian, Soren and Matilda Seitz, all of Fort Wayne.

Onie's life was celebrated at FairHaven Funeral Home and interred at Lindenwood Cemetery at a private family service. Memorials to Fox Island Alliance.