ABENS, Rita (nee DeGroote) 1934-2009

ABENS, JOHNSON, DEGROOTE

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 11/1/2009 at 17:57:56

OSAGE, IOWA - Rita Abens, age 75, of Osage, died on Friday, October 30, 2009, at the Osage Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Osage.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2009, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Osage with the Rev. Dennis Hanson and Rev. Roy Ott officiating. Inurnment will be at a later date. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home in Osage.

Rita was born June 14, 1934, in Rutland, the daughter of Forest and Jennie (Johnson) DeGroote. She grew up in the Methodist Church and was active in youth group and 4-H. She graduated from Humboldt High School in 1952.
Rita married Howard Abens on Dec. 28, 1954, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Bode.

Rita worked as a secretary, getting her PHT (Putting Hubby Through College) degree. Her primary occupation was homemaker as she raised four children. She served as office assistant in her husband's chiropractic office during the empty-nest years.

Rita was active after her marriage in the Lutheran Church as a Sunday School teacher and as a Vacation Bible School teacher and superintendent. She completed the Bethel Bible Series Course and then taught it to other adults. Rita was active in her women's group, the Rachel Circle, at her church and hosted Bible studies in their home.

She had a hobby of knitting dishcloths as well as doing other handiwork, and enjoyed china painting for many years.

Rita and Howard enjoyed traveling to all 50 states and 13 foreign countries, including seven cruises.

Rita is survived by her husband, Dr. Howard Abens of Osage; four children, Peggy (Bob) Appel of Altoona, Patty (Jon) Fredrickson of Jacksonville, Florida, Jim (Kathy) Abens of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and Stu (Temi) Abens of Waco, Texas; 16 grandchildren, Megan Abens, Christopher Abens, Amy Abens, Joshua Fredrickson, Katelyn Fredrickson, Alana (Micah) Hildreth, Aaron Appel, Daniel Appel, Matthew Abens, Monica Abens, Connor Abens, Grant Abens, Jordan (Justin) Mechell, Seth Stanford, Cody Stanford, Jesse Stanford; two sisters, Marjorie Vance of Humboldt, and Val Williams of Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Douglas and Arvin DeGroote; a sister, Charlotte Schafer; and a grandson, Bobby Appel.

Arrangements are by Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage, 641-732-3706.

[Mason City Globe Gazette online, 11/1/2009]

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