Gottschall, Irene Mae (1910-2016)

GOTTSCHALL, BLOUNT, HADENFELDT, LINDSEY, SACHAU, NORTON, GRAY, MERCY, BALDWIN, COWELL

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 9/5/2016 at 13:38:11

Irene Mae Gottschall
May 13, 1910 - July 4, 2016

Irene Gottschall, age 106, of Sioux Rapids, Iowa, died on Monday, July 4, 2016, at the Hawkeye Care Center in Sioux Rapids.

Irene Mae Gottschall was born on May 13, 1910, near Sioux Rapids, Iowa, to Clyde and Laura (Hadenfeldt) Blount. She attended school at Cornell and Sioux Rapids, graduating as valedictorian of the Sioux Rapids class of 1927. She enrolled at Buena Vista College for her B.A. degree, graduating in 1931. Next, she kept books at Cutt’s Greenhouse in Storm Lake for five years. In 1936, she began teaching in the junior high school at Remsen and became the first girls’ basketball coach in 1941. While there, she learned to bowl and her team of teachers had a great time in league, tri-state, and at state tournaments. She, also, taught junior high and served as librarian for seven years at the South Clay School District.

Irene married Ward E. Gottschall in the Congregational Church at Pomona, California, in 1942 while Ward was serving in the U.S. Army. Two daughters, Joanne Marie and Gayla Rae, were, subsequently, born to their union. After the war, they farmed near Sioux Rapids and Cornell. Then, they moved to Webb where they farmed for nineteen years before moving back to the family farm north of Sioux Rapids in 1975.

A baptized member of the Sioux Rapids Congregational Church, which later became the First United Church, Irene supported the missions and held various offices in the Women’s Fellowship. She had joined the Woman’s Study Club in 1944 and received recognition for her 50-year membership in 1994. She remained a member until her death. Irene had numerous hobbies: bowling, square dancing, fishing, reading, lots of quilting, sewing, doing needlework, crocheting afghans, playing shuffle board, socializing with friends, traveling and playing cards. She was one terrific bridge player.

A loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother, Irene loved visiting with people and making friends. A 4-H leader at Webb, she served as Secretary/Treasurer of the North West Iowa Trail Riders for many years. In 1999, she joined the Jolly Elders. Moreover, she and Ward enjoyed wintering in Corpus Christi, Texas, for several years.

In January 2010, at the age of 99, Irene developed health problems forcing her to give up independent living on the farm and move to the Sioux (Hawkeye) Care Center in Sioux Rapids where she resided until her death. In May, 2016, Irene celebrated her 106th birthday with a party at the Care Center.

Irene was preceded in death by her parents: Clyde and Laura; her sister, Mildred Blount; her daughter, Gayla Lindsey; and her husband, Ward.

Those who will always love, honor, and cherish her memory include her daughter, Joanne (Curtis) Sachau, of Charter Oak, Iowa; five grandchildren: Craig Sachau, of Waynesville, Missouri, Christi (Brian) Norton, of Millard, Nebraska, Clint (Tina), of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, Tracie (Tom) Gray, of Sturgis, South Dakota, and Tonya (Clint) Mercy, of Sturgis, South Dakota; six great-grandchildren: Christopher (Roberta) and Shawn Baldwin; Nathan and Kristen Cowell; Kelsie, Mackenzie, and Kaeden Norton; and Micah Sachau; her great-great grandchildren, Foster and Kinley Baldwin.

Irene’s family would like to gratefully acknowledge the loving care and friendship given to her by the employees and residents while she made her home at the Sioux (Hawkeye) Care Center.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 9, 2016, at 1:30 p.m. at the First United Church in Sioux Rapids. Burial will follow in the Lone Tree Cemetery in Sioux Rapids. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church. The Sliefert Funeral Home in Sioux Rapids is in charge of the arrangements.

Copyright © 2016, Sliefert Funeral Homes

Buena Vista Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen