Obituary of Marie Margaret Brueckner

Marie M. Goerdt Brueckner was born on March 7, 1919 and died on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at the age of 97. Visitation will be held from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m., Thursday, September 15, 2016 at Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville, Iowa. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville with burial in the church cemetery. Rev. Dennis Quint will officiate. Marie was the daughter of Joseph and Wilhelmina Koopmann Goerdt and married John D. Brueckner on August 15, 1942 in St. Andrews Cathedral in Little Rock, Arkansas. She graduated from Xavier High School and the State Teacher’s College (now UNI) in Cedar Falls. For nineteen years, Marie taught school, twelve of those years as a third grade teacher at St. Francis Xavier School. Marie was very active in church work through the Rosary Society as well as with the Girl Scouts. Over twenty years, she served on the Little Cloud Council Board and Established Camp Committee; was chairman of Dyersville’s first fund drive and Troop organizer. She was also an assistant leader and provided the program change training. She was a member of the ACCW American Legion Auxiliary, the Dyersville Golf and Country Club and a lifetime member of the CDA’s. Marie was preceded in death by her husband, John on July 2, 2016; a daughter, Lisa; her parents, five brothers (Al, Clete, Bud, Brother Ed and Brother Art); two sisters, Oliva Krapfl and Helen Meyers; and a grandson, Michael George. She is survived by four daughters: Elaine (Jeff) George of La Crosse, Wisconsin; Cheryl (Mark) Wright of Manton, Michigan; Diane (Don Pirkl) of Victor, Iowa; Lynn (Dr. Greg) Keeling of Baraboo, Wisconsin; and one son, JC (Karin) Brueckner of Overland Park, Kansas. She is further survived by fifteen grandchildren: Jennifer (Ken) Ericson and Katie (Gus) Ewoldt of Maple Grove, Minnesota; Libby George (Jacob Parakilas) of London, England; Jadrian (Dan) Clark and Carolyne Rothrock of Portland, Oregon; David Rothrock of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Melissa Rothrock of Boon, Michigan; A.J. Pirkl of Victor, Iowa; Nathan (Brooke) Keeling of Middleton, Wisconsin; Marlie Keeling and Shannon(Edward) Pike of Austin, Texas; Max Keeling of Baraboo, Wisconsin; Riley and Jackson Brueckner and Ryan Seltman of Overland Park, Kansas; and seven great grandchildren: Zanna and George Ericson and Winnie, Vivian and Leo Ewoldt of Maple Grove, Minnesota; Malia Rothrock and Cyrik Yonkman of Boon, Michigan. Memorial made be directed to St. Francis Xavier Basilica.