Obituary of Marie Henrietta Dunkel

Marie H. Dunkel, 97, of Dyersville and formerly of Worthington died Thursday, June 12, 2014, at Oak Crest Manor, Dyersville, Iowa. Friends may call from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, June 15, 2014, at Kramer Funeral Home, 750 12th Ave SW in Dyersville where a parish Vigil Service will be held at 5:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 16, 2014, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Dyersville, Iowa with burial in St. Paul Cemetery, Worthington. Rev. Noah Diehm will officiate. Marie was born July 21, 1916, south of Dyersville on the home farm, the youngest daughter of Henry J. and Josephine J. (Albang) Timmer. She married LaVern A. Dunkel on May 23, 1939, in Dyersville. Together they farmed near Worthington until he preceded her in death in 1989. Marie was a member of the St. Paul Parish and its Altar & Rosary Society. Marie moved to Dyersville after LaVern's death and became a member of St. Francis Xavier parish, and was a long-time volunteer at Oak Crest Manor. Marie grew up on a farm and played the exemplary role of a farm wife during the era. She kept herself busy milking cows, helping with the hay, tending her large garden, cooking and canning, sewing and mending clothes for the family and doing embroidery for quilts. She was a proud and loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother. In her spare time she loved fishing all of her life, playing cards, especially euchre, Survivors include her 3 children: Robert (Emma) Dunkel of Hopkinton, and Linda (Laverne) Tauke of Holy Cross, and Richard (Jane) of Worthington; 9 grandchildren: Peggy (Dave) Sellnau, Tracy (Brady) Smith, Jeff Tauke, Kelly (Josh) Vinquist, Matthew (friend Keri Johnson) Tauke, Steve (Cindy) Dunkel, Kathy (Bob) Polfer, Mark Dunkel, Andrew (Rachel) Dunkel; 9 great grandchildren: Nicholas, Alex, Daniel and Lucas Sellnau, Jake and Sloane Smith, Hayden Vinquist, Rebecca, Elijah, Sophia and Noah Dunkel, Hattie and Maggie Dunkel; in-laws: Dorothy Vorwald of Dyersville, Nick (Joan) Dunkel of Manchester, and Diane Dunkel of Dyersville. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband LaVern in 1989, a grandson, Kevin M. Tauke in 2002, siblings: Albert (Pat) Timmer, Elmer (Mary) Timmer, Florian (Leona) Timmer, Viola (Camillus) Meyer, Alvinia (Otto) Olberbroeckling and Germaine (Alex) Meyer; in-laws: Helen (John) Bonert, Jim (Lorraine) Dunkel, Rev. H.J. Dunkel, Bernard (Rose) Dunkel, Herb Dunkel, Francis Vorwald, Ruth (Gerald) Stronk, and Eileen (Roy) Sperfslage. Special thanks to the staff at Oak Crest for all the wonderful care of our Mother. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com.