Pearl Margaret (Koci) URBATSCH

URBATSCH, KOCI, PRELL, HANSEN, BOWERS, ARTERBURN, EGGEBRAATEN, SWANSON, PANNKUK

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/17/2014 at 14:23:00

April 3, 1918 --- January 8, 2014

Pearl Margaret Urbatsch, 95, of Forest City, died on Wednesday, January 8, 2014, at the Good Samaritan Center in Forest City. The daughter of John and Laura (Prell) Koci, Pearl was born on April 3, 1918, at home near Plymouth, Iowa. After graduating from Grafton High School in 1935, she attended Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa) in Cedar Falls for one year. She, then, completed coursework at Hamilton Business College, graduating in 1937.

On September 30, 1939, Pearl married the love of her life, Harley R. Urbatsch, in a secret ceremony in Albany, Missouri. During World War II, she lived in California while Harley served as a Second Lieutenant in the Navy. Following the war, Harley and Pearl moved back to Iowa where they owned hardware stores in both Goodell and Garner before settling in Forest City. They, then, purchased the Forest City Our Own Hardware Store where they worked until they retired.

Harley and Pearl spent their free time visiting with family and friends, playing cards, and taking part in ballroom dancing. In addition, Pearl was an active member of her Circle at the United Methodist Church. During their retirement, they traveled, completing four trips to Europe. On each trip, Pearl would come home with new friends from around the world. Deciding to go back to work following Harley's death in 1996, Pearl became a sample lady at Bill's Family Foods in Forest City where she worked until she was 91. She also continued to make numerous friends during her years working there. A positive person, she always had a contagious smile. She would spend the holiday season seemingly making fudge for everyone in town and sending out nearly two hundred fifty Christmas cards!

Pearl will be sadly missed by her son, Harley Urbatsch, and his wife, Pamela, of Forest City; her daughter, Sue Urbatsch, and her partner, Glen Pannkuk, of Forest City; six grandchildren, Kristin Hansen, and her husband, Torben, of St. Paul, Minnesota, Brian Urbatsch, of Forest City, Jamie Urbatsch, also of Forest City, Katie Bowers, and her husband, Jake, of Oak Park, Illinois, Laura Arterburn, and her husband, Scott, of Ankeny, Iowa, and Wendy Eggebraaten, and her husband, Noah, of Las Cruces, New Mexico; and four great-grandchildren, Emmalee Swanson, and Dawson, Madison, and Ella Urbatsch, as well as by her favorite dog, Chubbles. Pearl was preceded in death by her husband, Harley, in 1996; her parents, John and Laura Koci; and her brother, Lowell "Bud" Koci.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, January 16, 2014, at 11:00 A.M. at the United Methodist Church in Forest City with a gathering of friends and family one hour prior to services. The service will be followed by a private burial at the Bohemian Cemetery in Plymouth, Iowa. Petersen Lund Funeral Home