Christine LaVonne Gotto 1955-2012

GOTTO RONFELDT HICKSON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 8/14/2012 at 12:14:30

Sioux City Journal
June 12, 2012

Christine L. Gotto, 56, of Pierson, Iowa, formerly of Anthon, died unexpectedly Saturday, June 9, 2012, at a Sioux City hospital.

Services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at United Methodist Church in Anthon, with the Rev. Karen Handke officiating. Burial will be in Westfork Township Cemetery, Climbing Hill, Iowa. Visitation will be after 4 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Armstrong Funeral Home in Anthon. The obituary can be found and online condolences can be left at www.armstrongfuneral.com.

Christine LaVonne Gotto was born on Sept. 19, 1955, in Sioux City, Iowa, the daughter of Lester William and Marvel LaVonne (Ronfeldt) Hickson. She grew up with her family in area communities that included Onawa, Whiting, and Hornick, Iowa. She graduated from Westwood High School in 1974.

On July 17, 1976, Chris was united in marriage to Bill Gotto in Onawa, Iowa. From that point on, Bill and Chris were inseparable as a couple. They first made their home in Correctionville, Iowa, lived in Anthon for 30 years, and currently resided in Pierson. Chris worked at Gothier Mink Farm in Anthon, and as a C.N.A. at Correctionville Nursing and Rehab Center.

Her primary job and the one that she valued the most was being a stay-at-home Mom. Cherishing her grandbabies, she often commented that she would have had them first if she could have arranged it that way. She was known a "Mama Chris" or "A.C." (Aunt Chris) to everybody. She was a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt and friend who often put the care of others before herself. She was a strong and softhearted person whose warmth and generosity will always be remembered.

Chris and Bill enjoyed dancing and were strong supporters of the Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto High School Wrestling Program. As an avid angel collector, Chris enjoyed crafting and she and Bill organized the annual craft show in Anthon for 21 years.

Those survivors left to cherish their memories of Chris include her husband of 36 years, Bill; her mother, Marvel Hickson of Gravette, Ark.; three sons, Billy (Teresa) Gotto of Sioux City and their son, Jacob, David (Stacey) Gotto of Salix, Iowa, and Christopher (Nicole) Gotto of Correctionville, and their children, Nathan, Kiera, and Karissa; two daughters, Leslie (Josh) Gray of Pierson, and their children, Colton, Logan, Karsten, and Landon, and Lisa Jo (Adam) Gotto of Sloan, Iowa; four brothers, Robert (Babs) Hickson of Sioux City, Rick (Mary) Hickson of Decatur Ark., Randy (Judy) Hickson of Centerton, Ark., and Ron (Jennifer) Hickson of Pineville, Mo.; four sisters, Vicky (Tom) Graves of Decatur, Ark., Sherry (Tom) Coe of Spavinaw, Okla., Becky (Roy) Arnold of Gravette, Ark., and Terri (C.G.) Knox of Gentry, Ark.; a special family, Kim Rose of Moville, Iowa, and her children, Tricia (Jason) Adams of Bemidji, Minn., and their son, Nolan, Brett Rose and Katrina Rose, both of Moville; three special friends, Sheila Lansink of Anthon, Dixie Kendall of Cushing, Iowa, and Linda Johnson of Correctionville; along with many other good friends, nieces, nephews, and neighbors.

Chris was preceded in death by her father, Lester Hickson; an infant brother, Rodney Hickson; her father-in-law, Henry Gotto; a brother-in-law, Bob Gotto; a stepdaughter, Laura Jean Gotto; her grandfather and grandmother, Emil and Marjorie Ronfeldt.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.