Eileen Keuter (1930-2020)

KEUTER FREESE, WILLS

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 7/30/2020 at 22:44:02

Eileen (Wills) Keuter, formerly of Manchester and Dyersville, ended her eleven-year journey thru the foggy valley of Alzheimer’s disease on Wednesday, July 29th, 2020 when she passed away at Luther Manor in Dubuque. There is great comfort in knowing she comprehends again who she is and is with her much beloved family and friends who proceeded her to our Father’s heavenly kingdom. Her physical isolation of over four months has ended.

Visitation will be held from 3 – 7 p.m. Sunday, August 2, 2020 at Kramer’s Funeral home in Dyersville. Visitation will continue Monday morning from 9-10 a.m. prior to funeral services.

The family would encourage masks to be worn. Please follow the CDC social distancing guidelines.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, August 3, 2020 at St. Francis Basilica in Dyersville with burial in the church cemetery. Rev. Dennis Quint will officiate.

Eileen was born on July 21, 1930, in Council Hill Township just north of Galena daughter of Charles O. and Catherine (Freese) Wills. She grew up on the family farm and went to the Millbrig country school. Eileen then attended St. Joseph Academy in Dubuque as a boarding student graduating in 1948. At graduation she received the 120-word expert shorthand and typing speed awards. After graduating she worked at Rhomberg’s and The Hotel Julien.

On September 13, 1952, she married Dale H. Keuter at St. Michael’s Church in Galena. For several years they worked the Keuter family farm near what is now the Dyersville Field of Dreams.

In the mid-seventies Dale and Eileen started the family business in Earlville which over time became EIP Manufacturing. Through the years she played an integral part in the company’s development and growth thru Dale’s death on May 12, 2004. He was the visionary and she the detail person.

They loved to travel. Business took them to Germany, Nova Scotia as well as Hungary when it was still a communist country. In their early years of marriage they made a few trips to Las Vegas. Later on it was ocean cruises with their good friends, Bernie and Dorrie Murray. Eileen loved to play bridge and euchre, tending to her vegetable garden and spoiling her puppy, Gracie.

Survivors include: two sons, Kim (Kathy) of Dubuque and Karl (Judy) of Manchester; one daughter, Kathy (Pat) Krapfl of Delhi; nine grandchildren, Kurt Keuter of Milwaukee, Kwin Keuter (Kelli Blake) of Littleton, Colorado, Dr. Kaci Angelone, DVM (Peter) of Littleton, Colorado, Kipp Keuter of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Kody Keuter of Fort Worth, Texas, Kory Keuter of Ames, Matthew (Courtney) Krapfl of Delhi, Callie (Cody) Beitz of Hopkinton and Derek (Hannah) Krapfl of Orland Park, Illinois; five great-grandchildren, Dominic and Aela Angelone, Chase and Marcus Krapfl and Brody Beitz. Other survivors include daughter-in-law Monica Schilling; sister, Betty Cogan; four sisters-in-law, Mary, Judy, Joanne and Lorraine Wills; brother-in-law Lloyd (Judy) Keuter.

Eileen was also preceded in death by her son Kevin in 2006; two stillborn daughters; her six brothers, Eldon, LaVerne, Donald, Merlin, Lee and Chuck; her sister-in-law, Doris Deutmeyer, and, brother-in-law Dick Cogan.

Her Catholic faith was extremely important to Eileen. She was a proud 50-year member of Catholic Daughters; wore out a few books of night prayers; said the rosary and attended daily mass frequently. Her wish was that the Catholic faith would also be important to her family.

The family thanks the kind staff members that extended their kind care and compassion first at Ellen Kennedy Center in Dyersville, then Oak Park Place and Luther Manor in Dubuque. Also a big thankyou to the folks at Hospice of Dubuque who saw to it that Mom was as comfortable as possible in her final days.

Memorials may be made to: Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, Hospice of Dubuque, Holy Family Catholic Schools of Dubuque, Beckman Catholic of Dyersville, and, Divine Word College.