Grace (Suntken) KUHLERS

KUHLERS, SUNTKEN, FRYE, FORMANEK, WOODFILL, WHITE, PALS, MENNENGA, BESELER, CLASON, FISCHER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/19/2011 at 12:32:08

February 3, 1910 --- June 14, 2011

BELMOND, IA - Grace Kuhlers, 101, of Belmond, formerly of Meservey, passed away at the Rehabilitation Center of Belmond on Tuesday, June 14, 2011. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Jun 18, at 10:30 a.m. at the First Reformed Church, Meservey. The Rev. Rodney Meester will be officiating. Burial will be in the Meservey Cemetery. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Friday, June 17, at the Andrews Funeral Home, 516 1st St.S.E., Belmond, and continue one hour prior to the services at church Saturday. The family suggests those wishing to express their sympathies through a memorial in Grace's name consider the First Reformed Church of Meservey, Belmond Medical Center, or to the donor's choice.

Grace Suntken was born on Feb. 3, 1910, the daughter of Henry and Hannah (Frye) Suntken. The family lived on a farm by Alexander and she had two brothers, Bert and Onno Suntken, and one sister, Alida. Grace attended Wisner Township rural school. On Feb. 21, 1933, she married Ed Kuhlers at the First Reformed Church in Meservey and was a lifelong member there. To this union three children were born: Edward G. (Bud), Marlyn and Elaine. Ed and Grace began farming east of Klemme and in 1940 they moved to northwest of Meservey and farmed there until retirement in June of 1973 when they moved to a home in Belmond. They were residing there when Ed passed away on Nov. 21, 1994. They had been married for 61 years. Grace was involved in the farming operations including helping in the fields and taking care of the animals, especially milking of the cows, farrowing pigs and gathering eggs from a large poultry setup. She enjoyed her gardens and did a lot of canning, baking and cooking. She was a good cook and always made a lot of bread, cakes, cookies and apple pies and shared them with her family and friends.

Grace was active in the First Reformed Church of Meservey. She joined RCWM in 1937, taught Sunday school, catechism, and loved to read her Bible. She also still found time to crochet many things and made many doilies and afghans for her family. Each child, grandchild, and great grandchild received an afghan until eyesight grew too dim to see. She moved to the Belmond Community Apartments in August 2000, as her eyesight gradually grew worse. Her son Edward "Bud" and his wife, Donna, moved into her home in Belmond and looked after her to help her stay in her apartments, until May 2009 when she moved to the Rehabilitation Center of Belmond. She always enjoyed visitors and loved to share a cup of tea and talk about the good old days.

She is survived by one son, Edward "Bud" Kuhlers and wife, Donna, of Belmond; former daughter-in-law, Pat Formanek of Clear Lake; former sons-in-law, Marvin Woodfill of Prescott Valley, Ariz.; and eight grandchildren: Darla White and husband, Pat, of Meservey, Krista Pals and husband, Dighton, of Belmond, Kent Kuhlers and wife, Kim, of Meservey, Kari Mennenga and husband, Mike, of Meservey, Melinda Beseler and husband, David, of Medical Lake, Wash., and Mark Woodfill and wife, Joy, of Prescott Valley, Ariz., Lisa Clason and husband Dan, of Grimes and Kalin Kuhler, of Meservey. Also 16 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren, plus nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ed Kuhlers; two brothers and a sister; son Marlyn and daughter, Elaine; great granddaughter Brianne Pals; and a special niece Phyllis Fischer.

The family expresses loving appreciation to all who remembered Grace in all those years. The Lord blessed her with a long life and now her eyes behold the glory of her faith in heaven and we will miss her. She truly was an Amazing Grace.
Andrews Funeral Home, Belmond, IA.

Mason City Globe Gazette - Iowa
June 17, 2011