Kaefring, Vera C. (Duck)

Vera C. (Duck) Kaefring, 87, of rural Oxford, died Thursday morning, May 6, 2010, at Mercy Iowa City. Funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Cosgrove on Monday, May 10, at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at St. Peter's Cemetery. Visitation will be held Sunday, May 9, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service, 605 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City, where a rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. and a vigil service will begin at 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Peter's Catholic Church or the Wolfgang Rohret Headstone Restoration Fund.

Vera Caroline Rohret Kaefring was born Ja. 21, 1923, in Johnson County, Iowa, daughter of Ray and Anna (Skriver) Rohret. She graduated from Cosgrove High School in 1941 and married Paul G. Kaefring of rural Oxford on Feb. 10, 1944, at St. Peter's Catholic Church. Together they farmed west of Cosgrove for the next 60 years. She was a lifelong member of St. Peter's Church and belonged to the Altar and Rosary Society.

In 1973, Vera went to work as a cashier at the Safari Inn, Oxford. Starting In 1976, Vera worked as a central sterilizing technician at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics until her retirement in 1989. During her retirement she spent time with her family and worked at home. She enjoyed cards, especially euchre. She also enjoyed quilting, sewing, embroidery, and crochet.

She is survived by six children, Julia (Ron) Jans, Kristine Dolezal and Paul (Becky) Kaefring, all of Iowa City, Jeffrey (Lisa) Kaefring, Solon, David (Patty) Kaefring, rural Oxford, and Lisa (Scott) Hutchinson, Owatonna, Minn. In addition, she is survived by 14 grandchildren: Carmen (Richard) Langel, North Liberty; Melissa Jans, Iowa City; Rachel (Timothy) Leist, Iowa City; Sarah (Tad) Gallagher, Keokuk, Iowa; Brannon (Kara) Kaefring, Klamath Falls, Ore.; Aimee and Megan Kaefring, Iowa City; Whitney, Adam and Hillary Kaefring, Solon; Amanda Kaefring, Coralville; Jeremy Kaefring, Cedar Rapids; Brittany and Logan Hutchinson, Owatonna, Minn.; two stepgrandchildren, Shelly (Chad) Spaur, Oskaloosa, and Heather McKee, Cedar Rapids; 12 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul; her parents; a granddaughter, Carrie Jans; and five sisters, Minta Burns, Marguerite Scheetz, Mildred Rohret, Evelyn Salter and Dorothy Haman.

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