Bruck, Doris "Betty" (1924 - 2012)

BRUCK, NOLLEN, THEILEN, KIRSCHBAUM, HANDLOS, GASKILL, SEBERN, GOESER

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 4/9/2013 at 18:09:36

Posted by permission

Doris "Betty" Bruck - Age 88

Doris Elizabeth "Betty" Bruck, daughter of Michael and Frances (Theilen) Nollen, was born on February 19, 1924 at Panama, Iowa where she was baptized at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. At the age of one, Betty’s family made their home on a farm near Defiance, Iowa. Betty was confirmed and received her first communion at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Defiance. She attended country school outside of Defiance through the eighth grade and then attended St. Paul’s High School in Defiance, graduating with the class of 1941.

After high school, Betty helped many families around the Defiance area with house work and then later worked at the Martin Bomber Plant in Omaha, Nebraska during World War II. She worked on the B-29 Bombers that later went on to drop the bombs on Japan. Betty worked at the Liggit Drug Store also in Omaha. Betty met Lavern "Shorty" Bruck and were later married on February 11, 1946 and had four children: Janet, Mary, Bruce and Jill.

After their marriage, Betty and Shorty began farming near Earling, Iowa, then Defiance and finally moving to the farm in Irwin where they farmed together for thirty-eight years. Betty also was an Avon representative for twenty-five years and helped with the school lunches in Irwin for many years. She was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church where she was active in the Altar Society and taught CCD. Betty also helped take care of her brother John "Buster" Nollen who was handicapped.

Shorty and Betty remained on the farm until August of 2007 when they then made their home in Manning, Iowa. After the death of her husband in April of 2008, Betty continued to live in Manning until September of 2010, when she made her home at the Avoca Nursing and Rehab Center in Avoca, Iowa. It was here that she died on April 16, 2012 having attained the age of eighty-eight years, one month and twenty-eight days. In addition to her husband and parents, Betty was preceded in death by her brother John "Buster" Nollen and her sister Lila Kirschbaum.

Betty is survived by her children: Janet and her husband Gerald Handlos of Georgetown, Texas; Mary and her husband Tom Gaskill of Tucson, Arizona; Bruce Bruck and his wife Donna of Bloomington, Minnesota and Jill and her husband Gary Sebern of Denison, Iowa; eleven grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; her brothers: Kenneth Nollen and his wife Helen of Independence, Iowa; Harry Nollen and his wife Shirley of Mobile, Alabama and Ronald Nollen and his wife Ruth of Denison, Iowa and her sister Marilyn and her husband Edward Goeser of Harlan, Iowa; nieces and nephews; other relatives and many friends.

Rev. Chris Fontanini celebrated the 10:30 AM Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Defiance, Iowa. Honorary casket bearers were Jim Handlos, Jason Gaskill, and Bryce Bruck. Serving as casket bearers were Chris Handlos, Scott Gaskill, Reggie Graeve, Jesse Sebern, Beth Upton, and Bailey Bruck. Interment was held at Oak Hill Cemetery in Irwin, Iowa.