ITZEN, Reka 1912-2005

ITZEN, POTHAST, MILLER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 3/26/2015 at 21:51:36

Reka Itzen, 93, of Grundy Center, Iowa, died Wednesday, June 29, 2005, at the Grundy Care Center in Grundy Center, Iowa from natural causes. Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M., Saturday, July 2, 2005, at American Lutheran Church in Grundy Center, Iowa, with Pastor David Turner and Pastor Larry Doughn officiating. Burial will follow at Holland Cemetery in Holland, Iowa. Visitation will be Friday, July 1, 2005, from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. with the family present to greet friends from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home in Grundy Center. A memorial fund has been established.

Reka was born April 5, 1912, in Mason City, Iowa, the daughter of Rikus and Minnie (Miller) Pothast. Reka was raised in Cerro Gordo County where she attended rural country school. On June 21, 1933, Reka was united in marriage to Henry P. Itzen at Evangelical Lutheran Church at Grove Hill near Readlyn, Iowa. Reka and Henry made their home on the family farm Northwest of Grundy Center where they lived for 43 years until they moved to Holland on September 20, 1976. Reka was a homemaker and worked on their family farm. On October 13, 1986 Henry passed away and in 2001 Reka made Arlington Place in Grundy Center her home. On April 21, 2003 she moved to the Grundy Care Center. Reka was a member of American Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School and was a member of the Women's Missionary Group. She loved playing cards, putting puzzles together, baking, sewing quilts for people, her flowers, having tea with everyone, and spending time with her family.

She is survived by her two daughters Minetta Tjepkes and her husband Arnold of Grundy Center, and Norma Hook and her husband Dennis of Grundy Center; eight grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson; one brother George Pothast and his wife Rose of Grundy Center; and one sister, Etta Pabst of Grundy Center.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry; her parents Rikus and Minnie; and three great-grandchildren, Anthony Wayne Tjepkes, Austin Dean Tjepkes, and Whitney Elizabeth Tjepkes.

--Abels Funeral Homes (www.abelsfuneralhomes.com)