Obituary of Betty Theresa Willenborg

DYERSVILLE, IOWA Betty T. Willenborg, 86, of Dyersville and formerly of New Vienna died Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012, at Mercy Medical Center in Dubuque. Friends called from 2:00 - 8:00 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, at the Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville where a parish vigil was held at 4:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in New Vienna with burial in the church cemetery. Rev. John O'Connor officiated. Lector was Kim Rubner and giftbearers were Larissa Mormann, Shannon Heims and Allison Waterman. Pallbearers were Al, Jeff and Zach Willenborg, Brad and Brian Mormann and Dalton Streblow. Elizabeth Theresa was born Oct. 10, 1926, in Earlville, Iowa, the oldest child of Leo and Hilda (Nachtmann) Greiner. Betty attended country school near Earlville and worked for several families in the area as a hired girl. She married Lavern H. Willenborg on January 22, 1946, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Earlville. They farmed West of New Vienna for 34 years and then moved to a farm North of Dyersville until 2009 when they moved into the Ellen Kennedy Living Center in Dyersville. Betty was a member of the St. Boniface Catholic Church and it's Altar Society. She was active in the annual Labor Day Parish Picnic and was instrumental in establishing the craft booth at the picnic. She also volunteered many days each year for the Dyersville Hospital Auxiliary Bazaar. Betty loved to garden, cook and bake, make quilts and play cards and bingo. She loved to spoil her grand and great-grandchildren, always offering a hug. Her homemade chicken noodle soup, apple pies and chocolate chip cookies were a few of her specialties. Betty's personality and kind hearted nature never allowed her to complain; she always put others' needs before hers. Everyone was welcome in her home for a piece of dessert and a cup of coffee. Those left to honor her memory are her husband of sixty-six years, Lavern; three children: Judy (Ralph) Weber of Dyersville, Gary (Kathy) Willenborg of New Vienna and Joyce (Larry) Mormann of Worthington; grandchildren include, Julie (Mike) Streblow, Kristie (Cory) Heims, Deb (Ryan) Waterman, Al (Lynne) Willenborg, Jeff (Melissa) Willenborg, Brian (Kelli) Mormann, Sandy (Glen) Recker, Sara (Scott) Brimeyer, Brad (Allie) Mormann and Shelley (Mike) Barbour; Laura Willenborg's fiance, Dan Pfab of Bernard; 28 great-grandchildren; 2 sisters: Ethel Sperfslage of Independence and Eileen Bildstein of Earlville; brothers-and-sisters-in-law: JoAnn Greiner of California, Gilbert Willenborg of Dyersville and Fred (Ruth) Willenborg of Bella Vista, AR. She was preceded in death by her parents; granddaughters: Marsha Willenborg in 1980 and Laura Willenborg in 2008, and great-granddaughter, Grace Mormann in 2007; a brother, Lawrence Greiner and brothers-and-sisters-in-law: Dick Sperfslage, Henry Bildstein and Mary Ann Willenborg. Memorials are preferred to St. Boniface Catholic Church or the Ellen Kennedy Living Center. Information available and condolences accepted at www.kramerfuneral.com