Obituary of Lorraine Marie Dunkel

Lorraine Egloff Dunkel, 92, of Dyersville, Iowa, passed away peacefully at the Heritage Manor, Dubuque on Monday, July 19, 2010. A wake service will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville on Friday, July 23. A Catholic Daughters of America rosary will be recited at at 4:00 p.m. and a parish scripture service will be held at 5 p.m. Her life will be celebrated with a Mass at St Francis Xavier Basilica at 10:00 AM on Saturday July 24, 2010, with her final resting place being the St Francis Cemetery in Dyersville. A kind and compassionate woman who embraced all who she came in contact with. Lorraine was a dedicated wife, loving mother and sister and a faithful friend to many. She loved her life as a farmwoman and enjoyed all aspects from field work to gardening and excelled as a cook and a baker. Lorraine was born in Ferdinand, Indiana, and at the age of two her parents Magdalena and Edward Egloff moved the family to Luxemburg, Iowa, where she spent her youth. On June 18, 1942, she married James T. Dunkel at St. Boniface Church in New Vienna, Iowa, and the couple settled on a farm near Worthington, Iowa. Later they moved to a farm near Dyersville that became home for her and her husband and nine children until retiring in 1986. As a member of the St. Francis Xavier parish since 1948, she was faithful in many aspects of parish life from making Communion hosts weekly, active in the Catholic Daughters of America, to church cleaning when ever called upon. She also volunteered at the Mercy Hospital in Dyersville. She was an active volunteer at St Francis Elementary School as a Teachers Aide performing a host of duties working with the younger students. In later years, when health prevented the trips to the school, work was delivered to her house to be completed and no task was to small for her. Governor Terry Branstad presented Lorraine with the "Governors Volunteers Award" in 1996 honoring her commitment to the community and to education. This was a proud moment for this humble woman. Her greatest achievement in life, however, remains her dedication to her family that was always foremost in her life. She enjoyed time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren, who fondly remember her as always having a smile on her face. The family would like to thank the teachers at St. Francis Xavier that made her years richer by welcoming her into the school family and giving her purpose in the later years life. The staff at Heritage Manor and Hospice of Dubuque that gave our mother excellent care and a friendly, supportive atmosphere in her final years. Memorials will be given to Heritage Manor Care Facility and Hospice of Dubuque in Lorraine's name. "God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers." Jewish Proverb She is survived by her children Doris Ann Offermann (Ernie deceased) of Dyersville, Marylin Mae (Leon) Kern of New Vienna, John Henry (Karen Van De Wiel) Dunkel of Dubuque, Thomas David (Janine Beck) Dunkel and Paul Michael (Susan Digman) Dunkel, both of Dyersville, Diane Marie (Robert) Recker of Hopkinton, Patrick Joseph (Ann Hermsen) Dunkel of Worthington, and Karen Sue (Dennis) Nurre of Dyersville. Grandchildren: Steven (Vicki) Offermann, Kathy (Larry) Steffensmeier, Tammy (Ron Ihde) Offermann, Jason (Cindy Gerner-Offermann) Offermann, Lisa (Leo Jr.) Goedken, Rodney (Laurie) Kern, John Dunkel Jr., Craig Dunkel, Katherine Dunkel, Jennifer (Dan) Schuster, Terry (Carmen) Dunkel, Bryan (Carly) Recker, Brittany Recker, Brett Recker, Breanna Recker, Samantha (Mike) Leeser, Jaclyn Dunkel, Sarah Dunkel, Abby Nurre, Traci Nurre, Nicholas Nurre, 17 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild. Surviving siblings and in-laws are Rosie Vorwald, Mary Kramer, Rita (Nick) Russ, Alice (Tony) Russ, Dorothy Dunkel Vorwald, Nicholas (Joan) Dunkel, Diane Dunkel, Marie Dunkel. Preceded in death by her husband James in 1986, her young son James Jr. in 1951, her parents Magdalena and Edward, siblings: Robert, Clarence and Alvina, in childhood, as well as several sisters- and brothers-in-law, and a step great grandchild, Austin Gerner.