Maria R. Koelbel

KOELBEL, SCHNORING, OPITZ, BALDWIN, JAVES

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 8/15/2012 at 12:45:08

Maria R. Koelbel, 100, died in West Branch, Iowa on Monday, July 30, 2012.

Maria was born on January 23, l912 in Wuppertal, Germany. She came to this country, Chicago specifically, to visit her eldest sister. During that visit she met her future husband, Hans Koelbel, who later became head of cello and chamber music in the UI School of Music. They were married in l939 by Judge Clair Hamilton and celebrated in the Jefferson Hotel. A daughter, Ruth, was born in l941 and Maria began making new friendships and becoming part of Iowa City. Over the years of living here she was an early member of Iowa City Craft Guild and Music Study Club. She also was a member of Charter Club, International Club, a Girl Scout teacher and a member of First Presbyterian Church. She was a master seamstress, an avid gardener and excellent cook. She was, of course, a lover of chamber music and opera. Travel was another major interest and pursuit over many years of her life. Following her husband's death, Maria and sister, Erica, built a home in Sun City, AZ where they lived, gardened, sewed and travelled from to many countries over a twenty year period. The activity which most occupied Maria's time in the past fifteen years has been Warm Up America, which she worked with while living in Arizona. She was so pleased that she could continue crocheting for this project when moving back to Iowa City eight years ago. The thousands of squares she has crocheted have joined others to become comforters for Habitat for Humanity.

Maria was preceded in death by her parents, by her husband, Prof. Hans Koelbel, and by sisters Elizabeth Schnoring and Erica Opitz.

She is survived by her daughter, Ruth Baldwin and husband, Dick Javes, of Iowa City, two grandsons, Kurt (Jane) and granddaughter, Zoe, of St. Louis, MO, and Adam (Heidi) of Apple Valley, MN. One nephew, Dr. John Opitz (Susan) lives in Salt Lake City, UT.

Special mention must go to Hospice of Iowa City, a most caring, loving and dedicated organization. Some special names must be noted: Tammy Holderness, Tonya Valencia, Sara Neary, Maurie Campbell, Kaleigh Gilmore, Ingrid Weber. These angels, plus others, joined our family and cared for us all. Thank you!

A celebration of life will take place at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to Iowa City Hospice.