Anita Marie (Abbas) WALROD

WALROD, ABBAS, KANNING, RUHGE, BLAU, KIRCHOFF

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/28/2009 at 11:12:50

Clear Lake Mirror Reporter - Iowa
December 5, 2008

Anita M. Walrod, age 85, of Latimer, Iowa, died, Friday, Dec. 5, 2008, at the Franklin General Nursing Home Facility, Hampton, Iowa, following a courageous battle with declining health. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Latimer, Iowa. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. Those wishing to express their sympathies through a memorial in Anita’s name may wish to consider Hospice of North Iowa, The Lutheran Hour, or to their own choice.

Anita Marie Abbas, the daughter of John and Marie (Kanning) Abbas was born March 21, 1923, at her parents’ home in Latimer. Anita was a life long homemaker, loving wife, mother and grandmother. In addition to her fulltime responsibilities of providing for the needs of her family she had also worked as a cook for CAL Community Schools for 10 years. Anita was united in marriage to Gerald W. Walrod on June 7, 1941, at the church parsonage in Hampton, Iowa. To this union three children were born, Michael, Mary, and Geraldine, who died in infancy. In addition to nurturing to the needs of her husband, children, and grandchildren, Anita always found time to help others in their times of need. Her caring ways and non-judgemental characterisitic of accepting others for whom they were in their lives made her a special lady. She was unselfish always putting others needs before her’s whether those she cared for were her family, her husband’s family or those of a stranger. Anita and her husband looked forward to summertimes spent hosting their grandchildren at their home in Latimer, a fond memory they two will cherish. Though Anita may have been set in her ways you always knew where you stood and though she was at times serious in nature, Anita was also a kid at heart. The family reflects back on special memories of weekends spent at the family duck shack with her sisters-in-law and other family at Wall Lake and an occasion when Anita dressed up as a duck hunter with other family and went trick or treating in adulthood. Anita was a life long member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Latimer. She had been very active her church life and in the community as a member a member of the LWML, Men’s League, the Latimer Park Society, Latimer American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, and the Heritage Club. She also enjoyed times spent coffeeing with friends at the store in Latimer. Though Anita didn’t travel alot during her life she did look forward to a an occassional train trip to visit her son, Michael and LeNae during their years in Montana, as well as trips other places including Winnepeg. Those who had the privilege of having Anita in their lives or crossing the trails of her life journey will remember her as a very independent lady, who gave unselfishly to others. They will miss her loving and caring ways as a mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. Anita’s presence will be missed in the lives of her family in so many ways, even those precious moments that they shared in the recent months of her declining health.

Her life will live on in the hearts and minds of her children, including her son, Michael and his wife, LeNae Walrod, Latimer; her daughter, Mary Ruhge and her husband, Richard, Clear Lake; her brother-in-law, Dale Walrod and his wife, Nadine, Belmond, Iowa; her grandchildren, Regina Blau and her husband, Heath, Latimer, Daniel Kirchoff, Gillette, Wy., John Walrod, Coulter, Iowa, and Tammy Walrod, Hampton; her great-grandchildren, Corey Walrod, Clarissa Blau, Jacob Blau, Blake Walrod, and Matthew Walrod; also numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Gerald W. Walrod on Dec. 13, 1991; a brother, Paul Abbas, and an infant daughter, Geraldine Walrod. Andrews Funeral Home, Belmond, was in charge of arrangements.