GUTMANN, Viola Anne 1904-2002

GUTMANN, RICCIUS

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 9/30/2009 at 17:16:31

#1:

VIOLA A. GUTMANN

ST. ANSGAR - Viola A. Gutmann, 98, of St. Ansgar, died Saturday (Dec. 21, 2002) at Stacyville Community Nursing Home, Stacyville.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, 207 S. School St., St. Ansgar, with the Rev. Byron Northwick officiating. Burial will take place at a later date.

There will be no visitation. Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements, (641) 713-4920.

Globe Gazette, Dec. 22, 2002
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Memorial services were held for Viola Anne Gutmann Monday, December 23, 2002 at Schroeder and Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar, Iowa. The Reverend Byron Northwick officiated. Burial will be at a later date. She passed away December 21, 2002 at the Stacyville Nursing Home, Stacyville, Iowa.

Viola was born June 25, 1904 to George J. and Minna Laura (Riccius) Gutmann of St. Ansgar. The Gutmann family operated the bakery in St. Ansgar for many years, and everyone was expected to help out. She attended school in St. Ansgar and was valedictorian of her senior class in 1922. Earlier in 1918 she had been confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Vi decided on teaching as her profession, and attended both Iowa State Teachers College and the State University of Iowa. Here she graduated with a BA in 1929. For a few years in between attending each college she had taught math in the Bayard, Iowa, schools for two years. She taught math in Mouton, Iowa for several years.

In 1933 she started teaching at Story City, Iowa, where she remained there for 35 years. In 1958 she was presented with a new 1959 Chevy during the half-time of a football game. Graduating classes from her 25 years of teaching there had contributed enough money to make this happen. It was truly the highlight of her teaching career! In 1962 the Story City yearbook was dedicated to her and one quotation sums up her work nicely - "She was our best teacher ever!" Education was always important to Vi and she also took several advanced courses in math during summer breaks.

After her retirement she returned to St. Ansgar. Keeping in touch with family and friends was very important to Vi and she did this by writing letters and making phone calls. She also enjoyed gardening, mowing her own lawn, driving around in her car and playing cards. She also assisted at the library for several years. She was a faithful member of Immanuel Lutheran Church. Her last few years were spent at the Stacyville Nursing Home.

Viola was preceded in death by her parents, brothers George and Herman and sisters Esther Klindt and Harriet Machlan.

Her survivors include two nephews and five nieces, one sister-in-law and many great-nephews and nieces.

[Mitchell County Press-News online -- Posted January 1, 2003]

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#3:

FORMER TEACHER HERE
GIVEN CAR BY STUDENTS

Viola Gutman, a former instructor in the Moulton school back in the '30's, got a new kind of treatment at Story City where she is now teaching, last Friday night.

Miss Gutmann was the guest of honor at a football game and during the half time ceremonies was given a 1959 Chevrolet by the 650 members of the 25 senior classes graduated there since she has been teaching in Story City.

Principal Lawrence Gehring had this to say about Miss Gutmann's teaching ability: "If you could write out your exact specifications and order a teacher the way you can order a custom made car, Miss Guttmann is what you would get. She is a great teacher, a wonderful person and even though a veteran, she still has a fresh outlook on teaching."

Miss Gutmann taught four years in Moulton, and three at Bayard before going to Story City.

[Moulton Weekly Tribune, October 23, 1958]

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#4:
Photo of Viola from the 1922 Reflector -- St. Ansgar High School.

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