Hefel, Rita M. (Ruden) 1920-2009

RUDEN, HEFEL, SAUBER, BREITBACH, DEUTMEYER, KREEB, HAYES, WEDEWER, LUDOVISSY THOMAS, WEIZOREK, STAHELI, RIES, GILLIGAN

Posted By: Barbara Gehlsen Nugent (email)
Date: 1/18/2014 at 20:15:28

Behr's Funeral Home obituary

Rita M. Hefel, age 89, who lived with her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Dave Breitbach, at 204 Main St., N. Buena Vista, IA, and formerly lived with her son, Jim Hefel, at1025 Boyer St., Dubuque, IA, passed away peacefully at 6:10 a.m., Sunday, October 25, 2009, at home surrounded by her family.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Immaculate Conception Church in N. Buena Vista.

Burial will be in Immaculate Conception Cemetery, N. Buena Vista.

Friends may call from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday at Behr's Funeral Home, 1491 Main St., where there will be a scripture wake service said at 1:30 p.m. Friends also may call from 9:00 to 10:15 a.m. Thursday at Buenie Hall.

Rita was born on February 20, 1920, in North Buena Vista, Iowa, daughter of Matt and Anna (Sauber) Ruden.

Rita attended the rural schoolhouse near North Buena Vista. She married Edward M. Hefel on August 25, 1942, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, North Buena Vista. They farmed together until Ed's death on January 16, 1978.

In 1984, she moved to Dubuque, where she lived with her son, Jim, before returning to Buenie in 2008 to live with Mary and Dave. Rita lived a faith-filled life with a strong devotion to the rosary. She was a talented quilter who enjoyed sharing her quilts with family, and was so proud that she passed the love of sewing quilts on to her daughters. Rita always had a love of farming and was also proud of the fact that her three sons each have a part of the family farm. Her love for her children and grandchildren will always be treasured. The legacy of her faith and her dedication to doing good for others has been a wonderful example for all of us. Rita was a member of Immaculate Conception Parish, its Rosary Society, the Dubuque Quilting Guild and the Buenie Quilters.

Survivors: her children, Mary (Dave) Breitbach, Roger (Janet) Hefel and Mark "Fritz" (Sue) Hefel, all of North Buena Vista,
Helen (Richard) Deutmeyer, of Luxemburg,
Kay (Bill) Kreeb, of Dyersville,
Jim Hefel and Ann (Tim) Hayes, both of Dubuque,
Carol (Gary) Wedewer, of Petersburg;

4 sisters, Bernice Thomas, Kay Weizorek, Dorothy (Howard) Staheli and Marge Ries;
23 grandchildren, Ed, Alan, Sherry, Cathy, Denise, Shelly, Jodi, Michael, Tony, Kristie, Matt, Scott, Krystal, Abby, Kara, Brian, Marty, Liz, Samantha, Ben, Jenni, Justin and Wes;

30 great-grandchildren;

a sister-in-law, Clara Ludovissy, of Dubuque

She also was preceded in death by a son, Richard Hefel, in 1966; two sisters, Ann (Bob) Gilligan and Sr. Francis Ruden; a brother, Raymond (Nora) Ruden; and three brothers-in-law, Harold Thomas, Frank Weizorek and Harold Ries.

In lieu of flowers and gifts, a Rita M. Hefel Memorial Fund has been established.
The family would like to thank Dr. Khatib and his nurse, Sherry, and the nurses and staff of Hospice of Dubuque, especially Amy C., for their loving care and concern for Rita.