Leuenberger, Clara Catherine (Loesch) 1908 – 2012

LEUENBERGER, LOESCH, PANOCH, WATTS, SMITH, JACOBSEN, ZUBER, BETTER

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 3/7/2013 at 12:47:07

Source: Decorah Public Opinion February 7, 2012, Page A-5

Clara Leuenberger

Clara Catherine Leuenberger, 103, of Ossian, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, at the Ossian Senior Hospice. Mass of Christian burial was 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6 at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, Ossian. Interment is in St. Francis de Sales Cemetery. Friends called from 10:30 am. until 12:30 p.m. Monday at Schmitz-Grau Funeral Home in Ossian. Memorials may be made to the Ossian Ambulance Service. Condolences may be left at www.graufuneralhomes.com . Schmitz- Grau Funeral Home in Ossian handled the arrangements.

She was born Feb. 26, 1908, on a farm west of Spillville, the daughter of John and Mary (Panoch) Loesch. Clara lived near Spillville until she turned 12, when her family moved to Fort Atkinson. She attended Fort Atkinson High School. Clara was united in marriage with William Leuenberger June 24, 1929, at St. John’s Nepomucene Catholic Church in Fort Atkinson. William and Clara moved to Ossian, in 1933. Clara was a homemaker, rug weaver and quilter. She also worked as a store clerk at Wessel’s Variety Store in Ossian for 26 years, retiring in 1983.

Clara was a longtime member of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Ossian. She served as the treasurer and hostess for the Rosary Society, was a 60-year member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court No. 983. When she was 13 years old, Clara started leading the rosary at funeral wakes and continued until she was 90 years old. She also led the rosary before funeral masses. Clara also was active in the Ossian Senior Citizens, the Booster Card Club, RSVP in Decorah, the Ossian Senior Hospice and Quilting for Missions. Some of her hobbies included flower and vegetable gardening, traveling, playing cards and quilting. Her family estimates she stitches 400 quilts during her life.

Clara is survived by her children, Angela (Leo) Watts of Deming, N.M.; Robert (Velma) Leuenberger of Cedar Rapids; and Sister Mildred Leuenberger O.S.F. of Stacyville; nine grandchildren: Steve Watts; Mike (Alice) Watts; Dale (Kelly) Watts; Cynthia (Tim) Smith; Charlene (Jeff) Jacobsen; Sue Ann (Roy) Zuber; Gregory (Susan) Leuenberger; Bobbi (Howard) Better and Jean Leuenberger; 16 great-grandchildren: Emily, Andrew, Jessica, Tanya and Samantha Watts; Troy and Carly Smith; Dustin and Stacie Leuenberger; April and Heather Zuber; Nicholas, Turner, and Codi Jacobsen; and David and Hannah Better; several great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Clara was preceded in death by her husband, Willliam, who passed away June 20, 1955; one son, Cletus Leuenberger, who died in 1992; her parents; two brothers, Clem and George; and three sisters, Ann, Theresa, and Ceal.

Transcribed from a newspaper clipping submitted by Janice Sowers.

St. Francis de Sales Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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