Catherine Antonia (Huinker) Moellers completed her 91 years of commitment to marriage and family on Monday, July 17 at the Evans Memorial Home in Cresco where she had resided for the past 1 1/2 years.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, July 24, 2017, at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Cresco, Iowa, with Father Dennis Cain officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Cresco. Visitation will be held 3-7 p.m. Sunday, July 23, at Heritage Events Center, 229 3rd Ave W, Cresco. Visitation will continue an hour prior to the time of service Monday at the church. Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Catherine was born July 8, 1926, at her home in Seneca, Wis., to William and Ida (Einck) Huinker, the sixth of 14 children. She was baptized at St Patricks Catholic Church in Seneca. Her family moved to a farm near Festina and later to a farm near Ossian, Iowa. She attended school in Festina, graduating as valedictorian at Ossian DeSales and was a power forward for the DeSales basketball team. She attended Cedar Falls Teachers College and taught in the rural schools near Festina.
She was often seen “trucking” down the road with her neighbor boy and sweetheart Rainey Moellers. Rainey proposed by asking her, “Will you be my cook the rest of my life?” This question began their 59 years of life and farming partnership together. Ireaneus and Catherine married on April 27, 1948, at St Francis DeSales Church in Ossian. They farmed with Rainey’s parents, Felix and Margaret, near Ossian until March 1951. Then they purchased a farm near Ridgeway, Iowa, where they made their home until they retired in November 1990 and built a home in Cresco. Catherine continued to bake kolaches and cinnamon rolls and send them to the farm with Rainey. Her love of farming was evident up to the end of her days as she commented on the corn tasseling on the way to the Huinker family reunion just last week.
She was active in the Altar and Rosary Society of St. Joseph Church, a Circle leader, the Winneshiek Farm Bureau Ladies, and the Pork Board.
Catherine not only was a great teacher, but was eager to learn anything new. She was an inspiration in that there was nothing new that she wouldn’t try. Over the years she took many classes, learning how to paint ceramics and wood, stitch trapunto, decorate cakes, crocheting, knitting, woodworking, gardening and quilting.
She loved the farm, tending to chickens, turkeys, cows and pigs and garden produce for freezing and canning. She shared her knowledge and skills as a 4-H leader many years. After her family was raised, she developed a love of quilting and purchased a longarm quilting machine and pieced and quilted many quilts for everyone. Each child’s family received a quilt, as well as each grandchild upon high school graduation. As the great-grand babies arrived, there was a quilt waiting for every precious addition.
Catherine loved to play cards, especially euchre, and no matter the opponent, young or old, Grandma was “in it to win it!” She loved the farm and her family with a silent pride and a sternness that everyone understood.
She is survived by children: (Karen, deceased) (John) Braden, Mason City; Ken (Deb)Moellers, Cresco; Jerry (Christine)Moellers, Ridgeway; Connie (Jim) Zahasky, Cresco; Cynthia (Neil) Grube, Cresco; Audrey(Mike) Nosbisch, Ridgeway; Janine (Bob) Sebastian, Preston, Minn.; Mary (Mark) Reicks, Cresco; Kevin (Gayleen) Moellers, Ridgeway; 31 grandchildren: Jennifer (James) Dunne, Jeremy (Carrie)Braden, all of Ankeny; Jonathon Braden (Krystal Overmyer), Arlington, Va.; Korey (Peggy) Moellers, Shawnee, Kans.; Jeremy (Kelly) Moellers, Ryan (Meagan) Moellers, all of Cresco, Sarah (Scott) Kach of Cresco; Jessica Meyer (Mike), Byron; Jolene (Josh) Langreck, Minneapolis; Jennifer (John ) Fish, Waukon; Amanda (Aaron) Davis, Emily (Dustin) Kraft, Tony (Abby) Zahasky, all of Rochester, Minn.; Tressa (Ben) Gruenzner,Owatonna, Minn.; Josh (Tiffany) Grube, Buffalo, Minn.; Andy (Terri) Grube, Urbandale, Iowa; Matthew (Erin) Nosbisch, Burlington, Iowa; Justin (Whitney) Nosbisch, Vinton; Zach (Erica) Nosbisch, Waukon; Jason (Amanda) Ward, Brooklyn Center, Minn.; Brett (Tonya) Ward, St. Cloud Minn.; Nicole Sebastian, Preston, Minn.; Eric (Ashley) Reicks, Bethany (Andy) Wurzer, Molly Reicks, Alexis Reicks, all of Cresco; Tye (Torie) Moellers, Ridgeway; Nessa (Luke) Stika, Cazenovia, Wis.; Tara Moellers, Laurel, Iowa; and Arley Moellers, Ridgeway; 57 great-grandchildren and three on the way!
Catherine is survived by sisters Grace Reicks, Lawler; Joann (Francis) Wenthold, Ossian; brothers Bill (Phyllis) Huinker, Postville; Tom (Joyce) Huinker, Festina; in-laws Edna Huinker, Ossian; Alex Reicks, Lawler; Roger Moellers, Decorah; Betty (Leonard)Kuboushek, Spillville; Margaret Hager, Muscatine; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ireaneus on Aug. 31, 2007; daughter Karen Braden on Dec. 7, 2013; grandson Nathan Moellers, and great-grandson Chase Nosbisch; her parents, three brothers: Ralph, Charles, and Donald Huinker; six sisters: Alice (Neal) Reicks, Lillian (Adrian) Hageman, Luella Reicks, Florence Huinker, Eunice (Darrell) Bushman and Ida Huinker; in-laws preceding her: Eugene Reicks, Rufus (Betty Lou) Moellers, Raphael (Esther) Moellers, Irene Moellers, Glenn Stuart.
The family would like to express deep gratitude for the loving and comforting care Catherine received from the staff of Evans Memorial Home and Regional Health Services Hospice. We were so blessed to have such special and comforting people caring for our mom. Special thanks to those who brought Holy Communion to Catherine over the years, to Fr. Dennis Cain for his extra efforts, and to the volunteers from Meals on Wheels who brought a smile with each meal. Thank you to the community for all of the unknown kindnesses you have shown to Mom and our family over the years. We are blessed!
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