Delores Z. Bahrke 1927-2012

BAHRKE WILL ROHR

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2012 at 22:02:27

Sioux City Journal
March 19, 2012

CORRECTIONVILLE, Iowa -- Delores Z. Bahrke, 84, of Correctionville went to her Lord on Friday, March 16, 2012, at a Sioux City hospital, with her daughters by her side.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Grace Lutheran Church in Correctionville, with the Revs. Timothy Chasea and James Travis officiating. Burial will be in the Correctionville Cemetery. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today, with the family present 5 to 7 p.m., and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the Armstrong Funeral Home in Anthon, Iowa. Online condolences can be made to the family at armstrongfuneral.com.

Delores Zelma Bahrke was born at Correctionville, Iowa, to William H. and Clara (Will) Rohr on Dec. 11, 1927. She grew up in Anthon, Iowa, where she and her parents owned and operated the Creamery on Main Street. She graduated from Anthon High School with the class of 1945 at the age of 17. She soon earned her teaching certificate, later graduating from Morningside College. She began her 35-year career in education, first teaching country school at Wolf Creek No. 3 in 1945. She went on to teach at Spring Concord No. 5, Salix, Correctionville, and Willow Community School at Quimby from 1964 until 1988.

Delores was an enthusiastic Avon representative from 1982 to 2009. She earned recognition with Avon in the President's Club, having received 18 of their signature President's Club dolls.

She married William Eugene Finzen in 1948 and became the proud mother of one son and five daughters.

Delores was a member of Grace Lutheran Church at Correctionville, where she was a member of the AAL. She was an active member of the Older Iowa Legislation, Area Agency on Aging, she was on the Advisory Council for four years for Area IV and the State Advisory Council for one year and the American Legion Auxiliary. Having traveled the world with her mother, Delores also spent time traveling through Europe with her granddaughters.

Survivors include her five daughters, Bonnie Kougl of Plano, Texas, Sharen Groszkrueger and her husband, Greg of Correctionville, Karen Utesch of Sioux City, Linda Finzen-Mathers, also of Sioux City, and Laura Feauto and her husband, Mick of Greenwood, Ind.; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two stepchildren, Sharon Saladino and her husband, Louis of Cedar Park, Texas, and Eric Bahrke and his wife, Linda of St. Joseph, Mo.; along with other relatives; neighbors; and good friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Clara Rohr; a son, Calvin Finzen; a grandson, Derek Groszkrueger; and a great-grandson, Jeffrey Swanson.