Obituary of Ralph Aloysius Welter

HOLY CROSS, IOWA Ralph A. Welter, 84, of Holy Cross, Iowa died peacefully surrounded by his family Friday, December 21, 2012, at Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, December 24, 2012, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Holy Cross, Iowa with burial in the church cemetery. Rev. Raymond Burkle will officiate with Deacon Bill Mauss assisting. Friends may call from 2 - 7 p.m. Sunday, December 23, 2012, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Holy Cross, Iowa where a vigil service will be held at 2:00 p.m. There will be no visitation prior to mass on Monday. Ralph was born January 28, 1928, in Guttenberg, Iowa, the son of John and Antonia (Roth) Welter. He married Anna Mae Kress on Oct. 28, 1952, in Sherrill, Iowa. Together they farmed near Balltown where he loved to fish and hunt. He liked to play Wednesday night Euchre at Breitbachs, watch the Chicago Cubs, and gather with his family on the holidays. He was a 50 year member of Farm Bureau and the Sherrill Catholic Order of Foresters, Court 1709. He also served on the Board of Education in Holy Cross. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Anna Mae, 6 children: Darlene (William) Mauss of Dubuque, Eugene (Becky) Welter and Vern (Rose) Welter both of Sherrill, Tom (Ann) Welter of Farmington, MN, Barb (Steve) Schmitt of Coralville, and Joan (Lee) Hoerner of Epworth, 15 grandchildren: 4 great grandchildren; 2 sisters: Edna Rausch of Garnavillo, and Marcella Boeckenstedt of Dyersville; in-laws: Paul Kress of Dubuque, Norbert (Shirley) Kress of Zwingle, Leo (Betty) Kress, Dorothy (Donny) Wolf, Jim (Janet) Kress, all of Sherrill, and Arthur "A.J." (Cindi) Kress of Mud Lake. He was preceded in death by his parents, his parents-in-law, Arthur & Henrietta Kress, 5 sisters: Alberta Roling, Lucille Theisen, Olive Mitchell, Germaine Kloser, and Bernice Welter in infancy, and brothers-in-law: Alphonse Roling, Clarence Theisen, Kermit Mitchell, Albert Kloser, Robert Boeckenstedt and Charlie Rausch; a sister-in-law, Frances Kress. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com. The family wishes to extend a special thank you to all the staff at Stonehill for their support and care.