Catherine A Moellers
July 8, 1926 ~ July 17, 2017 (age 91) 91 Years OldShare using:
Catherine Antonia (Huinker) Moellers completed her 91 years of commitment to marriage and family on Monday July 17 at the Evans Memorial Home in Cresco where she had resided for the last year and a half.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, July 24, 2017 at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Cresco, IA with Father Dennis Cain officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Cresco, IA. Visitation will be held from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday, July 23, at Heritage Events Center, 229 3rd Ave W, Cresco, IA. Visitation will continue an hour prior to the time of service Monday at the church.
Catherine was born July 8, 1926 at her home in Seneca, Wisconsin to William and Ida (Einck) Huinker, the 6th of 14 children. She was baptized at St Patricks Catholic Church in Seneca. Her family moved to a farm near Festina and later to a farm near Ossian, IA. She attended school in Festina and later graduated as valedictorian at Ossian DeSales and was a power forward for the DeSales Basketball team. She attended Cedar Falls Teachers College and taught in the rural schools near Festina.
She was often seen “trucking” down the road with her neighbor boy and sweetheart Rainey Moellers. Her neighbor boy Rainey proposed by asking her “will you be my cook the rest of my life?” This question began their 59 years of life and farming partnership together. Ireaneus and Catherine were married on April 27, 1948 at St Francis DeSales Church in Ossian. They farmed with Rainey’s parents Felix and Margaret near Ossian until March 1951. Then they purchased a farm near Ridgeway, Iowa where they made their home until they retired in November of 1990 and built a new home in Cresco. Catherine continued to bake her kolaches and cinnamon rolls and send them out to the farm with Rainey. Her love of farming was evident up to the end of her days as she commented on the corn tasseling on the way to the Huinker family reunion just last week.
She was active in The Altar and Rosary Society of St Joseph Church, a Circle leader, the Winneshiek Farm Bureau Ladies and the Pork Board. Catherine not only was a great teacher, but was eager to learn anything new. She was an inspiration in that there was nothing new that she wouldn’t try. Over the years she took many classes and learned how to paint ceramics, stitch trapunto, painting on wood, cake decorating, crocheting, knitting, woodworking, gardening and quilting. She loved the farm, tending to her chickens, turkeys, cows and pigs and her garden produce for freezing and canning. She shared her knowledge and skills as a 4-H leader for many years. After her family was raised, she developed a love of quilting and purchased a longarm quilting machine and pieced and quilted many quilts for everyone. Each child's family received a quilt, as well as the each grandchild on their graduation from high school. As the great grand babies arrived there was a quilt waiting for every precious addition. Catherine loved to play cards, especially euchre, and no matter the opponent, young or old, Grandma was “in it to win it!”
She loved the farm and her family with a silent pride and a sternness that everyone understood.
She is survived by her children: Karen (deceased) (John) Braden of Mason City, IA, Ken (Deb) Moellers of Cresco, IA, Jerry (Christine) Moellers of Ridgeway, IA, Connie (Jim) Zahasky of Cresco, IA, Cynthia (Neil) Grube of Cresco, IA, Audrey (Mike) Nosbisch of Ridgeway, IA, Janine (Bob) Sebastian of Preston, MN, Mary (Mark) Reicks of Cresco, IA, and Kevin (Gayleen) Moellers of Ridgeway, IA; 31 Grandchildren: Jennifer (James) Dunne, Jeremy (Carrie) Braden all of Ankeny, IA, Jonathon (Krystal Overmyer) Braden of Arlington, VA, Korey (Peggy) Moellers of Shawnee, KS, Jeremy (Kelly) Moellers, Ryan (Meagan) Moellers all of Cresco, IA, Sarah (Scott) Kach of Cresco, IA, Jessica (Mike) Meyer of Byron, MN, Jolene (Josh) Langreck of Minneapolis, MN, Jennifer (John) Fish of Waukon, IA, Amanda (Aaron) Davis, Emily (Dustin) Kraft, Tony (Abby) Zahasky all of Rochester, MN, Tressa (Ben) Gruenzner of Owatonna, MN, Josh (Tiffany) Grube of Buffalo, MN, Andy (Terri) Grube of Urbandale, IA, Matthew (Erin) Nosbisch of Burlington, IA, Justin (Whitney) Nosbisch of Vinton, IA, Zach (Erica) Nosbisch of Waukon, IA, Jason (Amanda) Ward of Brooklyn Center, MN, Brett (Tonya) Ward of St. Cloud, MN, Nicole Sebastian of Preston, MN, Eric (Ashley) Reicks, Bethany (Andy) Wurzer, Molly Reicks, Alexis Reicks all of Cresco, IA, Tye (Torie) Moellers of Ridgeway, IA, Nessa (Luke) Stika of Cazenovia, WI, Tara Moellers of Laurel, IA, and Arley Moellers of Ridgeway, IA; 57 Great Grandchildren and three on the way; sisters: Grace Reicks of Lawler, IA, and Joann (Francis) Wenthold of Ossian, IA, brothers: Bill (Phyllis) Huinker of Postville, IA and Tom (Joyce) Huinker of Festina, IA; in-laws: Edna Huinker of Ossian, IA, Alex Reicks of Lawler, IA, Roger Moellers of Decorah, IA, Betty (Leonard) Kuboushek of Spillville, IA, Margaret Hager of Muscatine, IA, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ireaneus on August 31, 2007, daughter Karen Braden on December 7, 2013, grandson Nathan Moellers and great grandson Chase Nosbisch; parents, three brothers: Ralph, Charles, and Donald Huinker, six sisters: Alice (Neal) Reicks, Lillian (Adrian) Hageman, Luella Reicks, Florence Huinker, Eunice (Darrell) Bushman and Ida Huinker, in-laws: Eugene Reicks, Rufus (Betty Lou) Moellers, Raphael (Esther) Moellers, Irene Moellers, and Glenn Stuart.