Kamilla K. Rackow, 12 mar 1927 - 23 Feb 2010

RACKOW HARRIS KNAPP PETERSEN PATTERSON HAWKINS LEAN BRUER

Posted By: Stephen D. Williams (email)
Date: 3/13/2010 at 21:18:34

Celebration of life services for Kamilla K. “Kay” Rackow, 82, Monroe, Wis., formerly of Lena, Ill., were held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Lena. She was called to live in eternal glory with her Lord and Savior Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010, at Monroe Clinic Hospital, Monroe.

Burial was at Richland-Salem Lutheran Cemetery near McConnell, Ill.

A memorial fund has been established.

Leamon’s Funeral Home, Lena, was in charge of arrangements.

Kamilla K. Rackow was born March 12, 1927, in Dubuque, the daughter of Charles and Geneva (Harris) Knapp. Her family moved to Scales Mound, Ill., and later to Farley, Iowa, where she grew up.

She married Charles Petersen Dec. 13, 1947. The couple was blessed with two children, Randy and Jane. They later divorced.

She moved to Lena in 1957 and married Milo Rackow June 5, 1962, at the Little Brown Church in the Vale, Nashua. The couple were blessed with one child, David.

She graduated from Farley High School in 1943 and received her teaching degree from Iowa State Teachers’ College, Cedar Falls, in 1945. She continued her higher education at the University of Dubuque and in May of 1976, she received her master’s degree from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Ill. She taught school in Buffalo, LaPorte City and Monmouth, Iowa, and in Lena, McConnell and Orangevill, Ill.

After retiring from teaching in 1985, she worked part-time in Freeport doing secretarial work at several churches, the Stephenson County Senior Center and Freeport Memorial Hospital.

She loved her family and friends. She enjoyed playing cards, bowling and socializing with friends. She especially enjoyed traveling and attending several First Marine Division Association reunions with Milo.

She was faithful to her Lord and was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Lena, where she taught Sunday school and confirmation class and was active in the adult Bible classes, ladies aid and altar guild.

She was a very loving and caring mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and will be sadly missed by her three children.

Rackow is survived by her three children and their spouses, Randy Petersen, Phoenix, Ariz.; Jane and Randall Patterson, Monroe, Wis., and David and Ann Rackow, Williamsburg; seven grandchildren and their spouses, Jason and Shelby Patterson, San Diego, Calif.; Karessa Patterson and husband Travis Hawkins, Brodhead, Wis.; Lucas Patterson and wife Brittany Lean, Monroe; Aaron and Nikki Petersen, Virginia Beach, Va., and Amber, Natasha and Jesse Bruer (Rackow), Williamsburg, and five great-grandchildren, Trayton, Lauryl, Matthew, Natalie and Taiya.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Aug. 20, 2007, and her parents.

Williamsburg Journal Tribune 4 Mar 2010, p03
(Marengo Pioneer Republican)