Rausch, Lois (Martin) 1931 - 2023
RAUSCH, MARTIN, NELSON, LENSING, TUTTLE, BARTA, STANGE, SCHNEITER, HENSLEY, KUENNEN, DEENY, WINTER, KULISH, HUBER, HINKER, NEUZIL, MEYER
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 2/17/2023 at 14:25:30
Lois Rausch age 91 of Fort Atkinson, IA passed away on Thursday, February 9, 2023, at Ossian Senior Hospice surrounded be her family.
Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at the Helms Funeral Home Chekal Chapel, 201 Main Street in Fort Atkinson, IA followed by a prayer service with Deacon Jim Zajicek presiding. Burial will follow in the St. John’s Cemetery in Fort Atkinson.
Lois was born on August 2, 1931, the daughter of Veston and Gladys (Nelson) Martin in Ossian, Iowa. She was the fourth of nine children.
In high school, Lois was an athlete participating in basketball. She graduated from Calmar High School in 1949. When she was 18 years old, while working at the Calmar Hotel, she met Raynie Rausch, a handsome, spirited young man from Fort Atkinson. After a short courtship, and against her father’s better judgment, they exchanged vows on April 18, 1950. The couple moved to Fort Atkinson and on February 19, 1954, the couple welcomed their daughter, Cynthia Rae, to the family. In 1956 they built a house on 301 4th ST NW. This would be the home that they would raise their daughter in and live out their lives.
Lois worked at Phil’s Café, the Calmar Hotel, and at Sonny Meyer’s Grocery Store. She spent 10 years at the Calmar Reminder (the local newspaper) and dedicated 25 years to the Fort Atkinson State Park Museum before retiring.
In her early years, Lois was the life of the party. Not one to shy away from a good time, she enjoyed whatever beverage was on tap and her Pall Mall cigarettes. She enjoyed dancing and shenanigans with her girlfriends. She and Raynie were part of a card club. For years they spent weekends at “the river” in Lansing (Red Barn Resort) at their trailer. Lois enjoyed bowling, reading and putting puzzles together. She was a history buff, enjoying local history more than anything. She had a fascination for birds. She took joy in watching sports on TV and her favorite show American Pickers. She was an avid thrifter, a regular at the Depot, and loved a good garage sale. She delighted in decorating her home for each holiday.
Her grandchildren will remember her most for their time spent staying overnight at her house, weekends at the river, taking turns mowing the lawn, watching her cook fish and corn on the cob, and spending Christmas Eve at her house (after church of course). Tagging along for weekly grocery trips to Decorah and being treated to Hardee’s afterwards. She had quirky and witty ways to repurpose things and a love of unusual knick-knacks. And, all of her holiday cards were always signed, Love, Grandma “R”. She incessantly would ask questions about things that were none of her concern, but as most elders, felt entitled to know. (Insert a hard eyeroll here. Ha!) Her mind was sharp up until the very end. When her grandchildren started to have babies, themselves she would light up and smile proudly to meet each new addition. She loved all of her grandkids. Above all, though, she will be remembered for her time spent sitting on the front porch reading the newspaper, watching traffic go by, working up harvested produce from the garden, or just enjoying the weather. We’ve all had many talks with grandma on the front porch.
After Lois lost her husband in September 1997, she lived alone at home until the last days of her life. She was able to do that because of the unwavering care from her daughter, Cindy, and son-in-law, Earl. Earl maintained her home, mowed her lawn and plowed her driveway in the winter. He would begrudgingly hang up Christmas lights every year and any other stuff she wanted outside. And while Lois wasn’t always one to show her appreciation, deep down she was thankful.
In the last month of her life, her daughter Cindy moved back into her childhood home to take care of her mom before moving her to Ossian Senior Hospice where she would spend one week before passing. Lois was surrounded by her daughter and two granddaughters who comforted and loved her until her last breath.
Left to cherish her memory is her daughter, Cynthia (Earl) Lensing, Fort Atkinson.
Grandchildren: Danielle (Chris) Tuttle, Charles City, Rachel (Greg) Barta, Fort Atkinson, Jennifer (Wade) Stange, Fredericksburg, Natalie (David) Schneiter, Fort Atkinson, Patience (Chris) Hensley, New Hampton, Raymond (Paige Kuennen) Lensing, Fort Atkinson.
Great-grandchildren: Karson Deeny, Maggie Winter, Sydney Winter, Brady Barta, Everly Stange, Leroy Schneiter, Lena Schneiter, Leland Schneiter, Lincoln Schneiter, James Hensley, Gale Hensley, Dean Hensley, Gordon Lensing. Great-great grandchild: Ryan Kulish.
Sister: MaryLou Huber, San Jose, CA.
In-laws: Diep Martin, Bakersfield, CA, Martha Martin, San Jose, CA, Duke Hinker, Cedar Rapids, IA, Pat Martin, Rochester, MN, Jean Martin, Ossian, IA.
Lois was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond “Raynie” Rausch; son Jeffrey Paul Rausch (stillborn), parents Veston and Gladys Martin; siblings and in-laws Ray Martin, Richard & Doris Martin, Harold “Swede” Martin, Joe Huber, John & Vera Martin, Janet Hinker, Robert Martin, Monte Martin, Julius and Mary (Neuzil) Rausch, Carl Rausch, Art & Mary Grace Rausch, Gertrude & Denis Meyer.
Source: Helms Funeral Home database
St. John's Cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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