Loretta Jean (Repplinger) Simoff 1925-2024

REPPLINGER, SIMOFF, KRABIEL

Posted By: Connie Swearingen - volunteer (email)
Date: 1/24/2024 at 14:47:52

The Onawa Democrat
24 January 2024

Loretta Jean (Repplinger) Simoff, 98, of Onawa, Iowa, passed away peacefully, Monday, January 8, 2024, at Pleasant View Care Center in Whiting, Iowa.

A funeral mass will be 10:30 A.M. Saturday, January 27, 2024, at St. John Catholic Church, Onawa, Iowa, with Father Michael J. Erpelding, Celebrant, officiating. A live stream of the service will be posted on the Goslar Funeral Home website with Loretta’s obituary. Burial will follow in the Onawa Cemetery, Onawa, Iowa. A visitation will be 5:00 – 7:00 P.M., Friday, January 26, 2024, at the Goslar Funeral Home Chapel, Onawa, Iowa, with a scriptural wake service at 7:00 P.M. followed by the rosary. Arrangements are under the direction of Goslar Funeral Home and Monuments, Onawa, Iowa.

Loretta was born April 5, 1925, in Union County near Creston, Iowa, in the family home. She was the daughter of Henry and Minnie (Krabiel) Repplinger. Loretta grew up in the Orient, Iowa, area with her parents and five siblings: DeOle, Lowell, Shirly, LaDonna, and Ronald. She helped care for her younger siblings as her mother became a severe diabetic and suffered from sleeping sickness. At times, she would need to stay home from school to do the laundry and other household chores. Loretta graduated from Orient High School with the Class of 1943. Afterwards, she stayed in the Orient area helping her parents and also working at a grocery store for Jack and Lena (Simoff) Holmes. Eventually, Lena would become her mother-in-law.

On June 11, 1950, Loretta married Kenneth John Simoff. Throughout their marriage, they lived in several communities as John was teaching, eventually becoming a school superintendent in Battle Creek, Iowa, where many friends were made. In 1964, they moved to Onawa, which became home. Loretta was a very supportive and devoted spouse. Between the packing and moving, they had six children: Terry, Debbie, Diane, Celeste, Nick, and Toby. Loretta was very busy raising the children while John kept busy with his duties at West Monona as the superintendent of schools. John passed away unexpectedly on February 18, 1976. Loretta hadn’t worked outside of the home for years and found it necessary to go back to work again. She worked first at Gambles Store. Later, she became the receptionist for Dr. Wolpert and Dr. Gaukel. After their clinic closed, she became the secretary for St. John and St. Bernard Catholic Churches for sixteen years. Upon retiring from the church, she was gifted a trip to Rome…a highlight of her life.

Throughout her life, Loretta was active with various organizations. She was a Boy Scout Leader, a member of the American Legion for sixty-one years and Friends of the Library. She enjoyed being part of the Red Hat Society and a friendship birthday group. Her dear friend Katherine Southwick was her faithful companion on many of these celebratory occasions. Loretta was also part of several bridge groups and was a member of the Rosary Society (where she was known as “the scalloped potato queen”, as she did all the mixing of the potatoes for funerals). Loretta enjoyed traveling, reading, crossword puzzles, Scrabble, and her favorite was bridge. Her chauffeur was Betty Harms. When Betty would take Loretta home, they would sit in the car and visit for hours, hence, “The Alley Cats”. Betty would walk with Loretta to the door and they would talk even more inside. She did love to visit with her friends.

Left to cherish her memory are her children and their spouses: Terry (Charlie) Framke of Onawa, Iowa, Debra Simoff of Simsbury, Connecticut, Celeste Simoff of Clermont, Florida, Nick (Joan) Simoff of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Ladonna (Steve) McCullough of Lake Havasu, Arizona, and son-in-law Pat Phelan of Fairfax, Iowa. She also leaves behind eleven grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. Loretta is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents Henry and Minnie Repplinger, her father-in-law Nicola Simoff, her mother-in-law and step father-in-law Lena and Max Woods, her husband John, daughter Diane (Simoff) Phelan, son-in-law Dennis Ramos, her siblings DeOle (Maxine) Repplinger, Lowell (Leola) Repplinger, Shirly (Orval) Woosley, LaDonna (Morris) Morgan, Ronald Repplinger, brother-in-law Carl (Yvonne) Simoff, and nephews Ronnie Simoff and Mark Woosley.

The family wishes to express their gratitude for family and friends reaching out to them. Loretta was one of the “great” ones. She was greatly loved and will be deeply missed.

Memorials in Loretta’s memory may be directed to St. John Catholic Church, 1009 13th Street, Onawa, Iowa, 51040 or Burgess Home Health, 1600 Diamond Street, Onawa, Iowa, 51040.

Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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