RUBALCAVA, Susan "Susie" 1930 - 2017

RUBALCAVA, ESPINOSA, DIX, GREER, DUNN, BENN, CHAVEZ, BALTIERRA, GARNICA, LOPEZ

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 1/9/2018 at 00:21:58

Susan 'Susie' Rubalcava, 87, passed away peacefully in her home on April 10, 2017.

We will celebrate Susan’s life with a Mass of Christian Burial at Epiphany Parish Holy Family Catholic Church, 714 N. Adams Ave., on April 18, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. with the Rev. Neil Manternach as celebrant and Monsignor Joseph Slepicka and Monsignor John Hemann as con-celebrants. Burial will be in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions should be made to the Susan Rubalcava memorial fund.

Susan Mary Espinosa was born to Paul and Petra Espinosa on March 18, 1930, in Mason City, Iowa — the youngest of 13 children. From growing up in such a large family, Susan had stories to tell of how hard her parents worked, how early her mother got up to prepare enough food for the day, and how much laundry she did by hand to keep her family in clean clothes. She later carried on this legacy with the way she raised her own family. She was proud of working each day to provide home cooked meals, clean clothes, and a spotless home.

Susan met the love of her life, Eladio Rubalcava, at a dance in Mason City in 1945. After a 3-year courtship, they were married in 1948 in Los Angeles, California. Shortly after, the two returned to Mason City to begin their life together and start a family.

Susan was devoted to her family. Her husband and her children always came first and she felt it was important to be at home with them, though she did once serve as a council delegate for the McKinley Elementary School PTA.

Susan’s faith and Catholic upbringing were an important part of her life and she made sure a strong Catholic influence was a large part of her children’s lives also. She was a faithful parishioner of Holy Family Catholic church, and always spoke highly of the pastors; in particular, one whom she’d known for decades, Monsignor Joseph Slepika.

As a child, Susan didn’t know her grandmothers, but she used to tell the story of how she wished for a grandma to spend time with, like all the other kids had … which must have been the inspiration for the thoughtful and kind Grandma she became when she had her own grandchildren.

Susan was an amazing cook, which she taught herself how to do after she was married. She cooked for her family as it grew, sometimes spending days in the kitchen to prepare a holiday meal. But her cooking — especially her tortillas, tamales, and other Mexican dishes — will always be remembered.

In addition to her family, Susan loved to shop, and always knew what was in style. And she never missed Lawrence Welk or Wheel of Fortune. Over the years, another of her favorite past times became sitting in her kitchen, talking and telling stories. She had stories of growing up, stories about Eladio growing up, stories about her life with Eladio, stories about her kids … or stories about what happened the day before. She could talk for hours, telling you a story with all the little details, or make you laugh with just the right facial expressions.

To her family, Susan was always there when she was needed, though she was also the center of this family she began with Eladio in 1948, and she will be deeply missed by all.

Susan is survived by her brother Lawrence Espinosa of Mason City; brother-in-law Jerome (Della) Dix of Concord, CA; sister-in-law Mavis (Paul “Blackie”) Espinosa of Mason City; her five children, John (Julie) Rubalcava of Cedar Rapids, IA; Susan (Dennis) Greer of Owatonna, MN; Bob Rubalcava and Pattie Dunn (William Prickett) of Mason City; and Jean Benn of Atlantic, IA; as well as 17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Petra Espinosa; son-in-law Jon Dunn; sisters Della Dix, Frances and Katherine Espinosa, Josephine Chavez, Martha Baltierra, and Mildred Garnica; brothers Floyd, John, Leo, and Paul (Blackie) Espinosa, Jr.; and Tony Lopez.

Finally, Susan was preceded in death by her husband and her “partner” of 62 years, Eladio Rubalcava, who passed away in 2010. She’s missed him every day since - may the two of them now be reunited in eternity. Both will be forever in our hearts.