Linda Lou Rater

RATER, GERDING, LANCASTER, DEWITT

Posted By: dbeier (email)
Date: 2/7/2011 at 23:08:24

JESUP - Linda Lou Rater, 63, of rural Jesup, died at home Tuesday, Jan. 18, from complications of appendiceal cancer.

She was born Nov. 29, 1947, in Des Moines, daughter of Melvin F. and Dorothy A. Gerding Lancaster. She married Larry Eugene Rater on March 21, 1970, in Des Moines.

Mrs. Rater graduated from Des Moines East High School, attended Grandview College in Des Moines for two years and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa. She worked at Hawkeye Community College, Waterloo, for 25 years, retiring in 2003. During her career, she worked as a teacher and later was the manager of Adult Basic Education, General Equivalency Diploma and English Language Learners programs at the Hawkeye Metro Campus.

Survived by: her husband; a son, John J. of Portland, Ore.; a daughter, Gabrielle Joy (Jason) DeWitt of Cedar Falls; and two grandchildren, Lucas and Emma DeWitt.

Preceded in death by: her parents; and a brother, Carl Lancaster.

Services: 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Kearns, Huisman-Schumacher Chapel, Waterloo, with inurnment in Waterloo Cemetery at a later date.

Public visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday and after 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Memorial fund: has been established to benefit her passions, including reading, public broadcasting and education.

Linda enjoyed spending time with her family, grandchildren and friends, interacting with her book club, gardening and traveling.