Margrieta Delle 1923 - 2003

DELLE

Posted By: Marguerite (email)
Date: 5/28/2003 at 12:31:57

IOWA CITY

Margrieta Delle, 80, of 703 Streb Street, Iowa City, died Thursday, May 15, 2003, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City of pneumonia.

Margrieta Delle was born January 23, 1923, an only child to Peter and Alisa Delle in Riga, Latvia. During World War II, when she was 18 years old, the Germans took her and others to Germany to work in the factories. When Germany’s defeat was near, all workers were released and they had much difficulty finding food and shelter. Within a year the United States established refugee camps and she spent several years there. When churches in America began sponsoring refugees, Margrieta was brought to Iowa City by Zion Lutheran Church. She became an outstanding American citizen.

She earned both her Bachelor and Master Degrees in biochemistry. She worked forty years in the cardiac research lab at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. She retired at age 70. Margrieta was an artist – dealing with life as an artist.

She was a charter member of the Iowa City Camera Club. She received the North Central Camera Club Councils’ service award in 1977 and was the recipient of the Founders Award in 1991. She has been a mentor to many aspiring photographers. In recent years she combined her love for music and photography to produce outstanding slide essays to entertain and to educate.

She was a member of the Iowa City Bird Club and was involved until her death. She was a dedicated birder – a naturalist – known throughout the area for identification of bird songs. She had a great ear for bird songs and had taught courses on birding. For the past 40 years, she has been involved statewide in Iowa Ornitholis Union Birding Association. She had done field studies on Tanager and Wood Thrush species for the Cornell Ornithology Laboratory. She had volunteered for frog survey’s and reported and kept records for the Department of Natural Resources in the Hawkeye Wildlife Area.

She was instrumental in the preservation of Rochester Cemetery in Cedar County. Until her death she had a vital connection with Latvia and supported efforts of a young couple who have prospered from the harvest of their blueberry farm. Memorials in her honor may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.