Obituary of Catherine Bell Thier

Survivors include her 3 children: Dennis (Diane) Thier, Carol (Dr. Earl) Goerdt and Ben (Krista) Thier, all of Dyersville, 11 grandchildren: Chad Thier of Dubuque, Abby (Tom) Cecil of Leonardtown, Maryland, Emily (Craig) Tobin of Marion, Iowa, Tony (Anna) Thier of Dubuque, Iowa, Amy (Brad) Ludwig of Cascade, Iowa, Matt (Kathy) Goerdt of Dyersville, Iowa, Joe Goerdt of Chicago, Ill., Kim Goerdt, Brent, Olivia and Thomas Thier, all of Dyersville; 9 great grandchildren; Elise, Adam and Nick Cecil, Isabel Tobin, Sophia Thier, Madeline, Julia and Luke Ludwig, and Rebecca Goerdt; 1 sister, Mary Palmer of Farley, Iowa, 3 sisters-in-law: Julia White of Dubuque, Iowa, Marie Thier and Kay Thier, both of Dyersville, 2 brothers-in-law, Harry McBride of Anamosa, Iowa and Joe (Delores) Thier of Dyersville, Iowa She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Art in 1992, 1 brother, Kenneth White, 2 sisters, Alice (Merlin) Holzer and Madonna McBride; 3 brothers-in-law, Carl "Chick" Palmer, Jim Thier and August "Gus" Thier, and a sister-in-law, Germaine (Bill) Mescher. Kay was born on March 16, 1918, in Farley, Iowa, the daughter of Julius and Genevieve (Bell) White. She grew up on a farm East of Farley, graduated from St. Joseph High School in Farley and continued her education to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. While teaching at the one-room country school she met her future husband. She married Arthur J. "Art" Thier on June 9, 1945, in Farley, Iowa. While raising her family she continued going to school to become a Physical Education teacher. During this time she was contacted by Msgr. M.M. Hoffman about establishing a library in the Dyersville Community. She was a 50 year Library Board Member. She enjoyed many activities in the community, entertaining visitors at the Dyers House Teas as Mrs. Dyer, reading stories to children at the library and being the Hat Lady. Kay was a member of St. Francis Xavier Parish and a charter member of its Resurrection Choir, the Catholic Daughters of America Court St. Rose, the Red Hat Ladies, Friends of the Library and the Dyersville Historical Society. She was named Woman of the Year by the Dyersville Area Chamber of Commerce in 2002, and she twice received the Governor's Volunteerism Award, most recently in 2007. Friends may call from 2 - 9 p.m. Sunday, May 18, 2008, at Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville where a CD of A Rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. and a parish scripture service will be held at 5 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, May 19, 2008, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica, in Dyersville, Iowa with burial in the church cemetery. Officiating will be Rev. Phil Kruse with Rev. Herb Tegeler concelebrating.