Tentinger, Maureen Rose (Mrs. Gordon Francis) 1926-2020

TENTINGER, HAAG, GERST

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:32

Maureen R. Tentinger, 93, of Le Mars, Iowa passed away surrounded by her loving family at her home on Tuesday, January 21, 2020. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 24, 2020 at All Saints Catholic Parish-St. Joseph Church, Le Mars. Fr. Matthew Solyntjes will officiate. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Le Mars. Visitation will begin at 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 23, 2020 at the Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars with a Catholic Daughters rosary at 5 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to the funeral on Friday. Memorials may be directed to Gehlen Catholic Schools.

Maureen Rose (Haag) Tentinger was born on August 11, 1926 to Carl G. and Hildagard (Gerst) Haag in Alton, Iowa. She grew up on a small farm where her father kept bees, sold honey and grew popcorn. They also had some livestock including sheep, lambs and chickens.

Maureen attended St. Mary’s Academy in Alton and graduated in 1944. Immediately, she went into Cadette Nursing Corps at Creighton Memorial, St. Joseph Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. During her training she spent time in Lincoln, Nebraska at the VA Hospital. Maureen graduated with a nursing degree in 1947. Following graduation, she worked at Orange City Municipal Hospital. She worked at Sacred Heart Hospital in Le Mars, starting in September of 1947.

On June 24, 1948, Maureen and Gordon Francis Tentinger were united in marriage at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Alton, Iowa. The couple moved to Iowa City where Maureen worked as a private duty nurse at the University of Iowa Hospitals. In the fall of 1948, she worked with polio patients in the pediatric isolation unit.

Returning to Le Mars in June of 1949, Maureen and Gordon started their family. While raising their family, Maureen continued with her nursing and did private and general duty at Sacred Heart Hospital over the years. Later, her career took her to Gehlen Catholic Schools where she was the school nurse for many years.

Maureen was most proud of her music. She was an accomplished pianist and organist and also played the flute. She sang in the choir at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church for many years. She became a church organist in 1985 and played until 2004.

Maureen made her home welcoming and beautiful. She loved gardening, reading, music, sewing, knitting, cooking, baking, playing bridge and pinochle, and traveling. In earlier years, she was a Cub Scout Leader. Maureen loved spending summers at Spirit Lake, Iowa with her family. She enjoyed sports, especially the Iowa Hawkeyes. She was a member of All Saints Catholic Parish and Catholic Daughters of the Americas for over 50 years. She was active in her Renew Group and enjoyed the company of those women immensely. Maureen also continued her relationship with her nursing class from Creighton.

Maureen shared her skills with her children and grandchildren. She helped with newborns when grandchildren were born and traveled as far as Australia to do so. Her most special and proud achievement was raising her “wonderful” eight children with her husband Gordon.

Grateful to have shared her life are her children and their spouses, Susan and Charles Kalmbach of Okatie, SC, Jane and Thomas Schmidt of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, Lee and Richard Gruber of Janesville, WI, Kurt and Lesli Tentinger of Bellaire, TX, Michael and Kathy Tentinger of Le Mars, IA, Alan “A.J.” and Janelle Tentinger of Le Mars, IA, David and Lisa Tentinger of La Grange, IL and Amy and Thomas Faber of Sydney, Australia; grandchildren, Theodore (Jamila) Kalmbach, Abigail (Brian) London, Nicholas (Miki) Kalmbach, Andrew Kalmbach, Karen Schmidt, Phillip (Vicki) Schmidt, Erik Schmidt, Alexander (Mary) Gruber, Lauren (Aaron) Mayer, Rachel Tentinger, Katharine Tentinger, Kristin (Kyle) McManus, Cody (Nicole) Dreckman, Emily (Nate) Berkhoudt, Megan Tentinger, Tyler Tentinger, Scott Tentinger, Zachary Tentinger, Noah Faber and Tatum Faber and 14 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Gordon and two sisters, Eunice Hofmeyer and Patricia Keen.

Maureen’s family would like to thank Floyd Valley Healthcare, Hospice of Siouxland, the priests of All Saints Catholic Parish and most especially, the staff of A Little Help.

Memorials may be directed to Gehlen Catholic Schools.

Source: Mauer-Johnson-Earnest Funeral Home online obituary.