Mathilde Alice Kennel

KENNEL, BACHMAN, SCHWEITZER, FINNEGAN

Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 5/9/2023 at 10:24:25

Mathilde Alice Kennel, 87, died peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Her husband of 61 years, Norman Kennel, was at her bedside.

Funeral services will be held at 2 PM Monday, April 10, 2023, at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Iowa City with Pastor Connie Spitzack officiating. Visitation will begin at 1 PM at the church. A private family burial service will take place at Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in support of Mennonite Central Committee relief efforts in Ukraine

Mathilde “Tillie” Kennel was born August 29, 1935, in Falkenstein, (near Lvov) Ukraine, the third and youngest child of Rudolf and Christine (Schweitzer) Bachmann. As a result of German and Russian invasion, the Bachmann family was forced from their home at Christmas time in 1939. During the second World War, the family was relocated to multiple resettlement camps in eastern Germany, and later to a farm in western Poland until it was no longer safe to stay there. Rudolf was forced to remain in Poland and died in the war. Tillie and her siblings and her mother became refugees and with the help of family members, were able reach a Mennonite immigration camp in Backnang (near Stuttgart) in SW Germany in the summer of 1947. Tillie was able to go to school there. Two years later, with the help of MCC her mother secured passage for the family to the United States. They traveled first by ship and then by train, arriving in Washington, Iowa in 1949. By 1950, the family had worked for some time to repay their sponsors for their passage and the family moved to a house in Kalona. Tillie continued her education at IMS and she graduated from the University of Iowa in 1958 with a Bachelor of Art degree in Elementary Education. She also took some graduate course work, while teaching 2nd grade for 6 years. Tillie met Norm at IMS and they were married on July 8, 1961. After teaching, and while raising her family, Tillie worked as a Project Manager for the National Computer System (now Pearson’s) for 25 years, retiring in 2000. During retirement, Tillie and Norm enjoyed traveling. They were able to adventure together throughout Europe, Canada, and from coast-to-coast in the US. No matter how far she went, though, Tillie loved her home and her family the best. She was an avid flower gardener, and with the help of her grandkids, kept many pesky bunnies from her flower beds. Tillie also loved to read and her passion for learning and education continued, long after she stopped working. Tillie volunteered in the ICCSD at area grade schools, and SE Junior High, and earned the love and respect of the many students she was able to tutor in reading.

Tillie is survived by her husband, Norman Kennel; sons, Norman David (Kimberly) Kennel of Collierville, Tennessee, Mark Kennel of Chicago, Illinois, and Timothy Kennel (Colleen Finnegan) of Iowa City, Iowa; grandchildren, Nicholas, Mathilde, Kelsey (Jeromy), Tyler, Natasha, Kari, and Simon; great-granddaughter, Morgan; and many in-laws, nieces, and nephews.

Tillie was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Artur Bachmann, and sister, Nellie Christner.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.lensingfuneral.com

Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
 

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