Dixie Lee Rathje-Schulte

DIXIE LEE RATHJE-SCHULTE

Newhall

Dixie Lee Rathje-Schulte, 82, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, surrounded by family at West Ridge Care Center in Cedar Rapids.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Newhall with the Rev. Steven Rempfer officiating. Visitation will be held from 9 to 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, also at the church. Private family interment will be held at St. Michael's Cemetery in Norway at a later date.

A memorial fund has been established for Central Lutheran School in Newhall.

Dixie was born on July 13, 1936, in Rock Rapids, Iowa, the daughter of Ben and Christine (Meester) Pierce. She graduated from Rock Rapids High School in 1954. On Feb. 27, 1955, she married Glen Rathje at St. John Lutheran Church in Newhall. On Aug. 30, 1980, she married August Schulte in Mountain Home, Ark.

Dixie worked as a tax preparer for 60 years, retiring at the age of 79. She also worked as the voting chair-person for Newhall for many years. She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church. Dixie had many interests in life. She was an avid Packers and Cubs fan and she enjoyed NASCAR racing. She also had a celebrity crush on Lute Olson. Dixie was a very loving, honorable and compassionate person and enjoyed helping her friends and neighbors during illnesses and difficult times. She was an excellent cook and enjoyed watching cooking shows. She loved the Christmas season and her greatest joy was spending time with her family and staying at her cabin on the Cedar River near Vinton.

She is survived by her children, Kristine (Jerry) Sauer of Cedar Rapids, Dan Rathje of Vinton and Craig (Kay) Rathje of Cedar Rapids; grandchildren, Kelly (Todd) Sweet, Cameron Wagner, Katrina (Vincent) Brigulio, Jeret Sauer, C.J. (Crystal) Sauer, April Rathje, Casey (Meagan) Rathje, Krystal Rathje, Nolan (Kim) Decker and Candace (Jesse) LaKose; 18 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Sharon Weichman of Slater, Iowa, and Carol Carlsen of Madrid, Iowa.

In addition to her parents, Dixie was preceded in death by her husbands; two grandsons, Chad Rathje and Joshua Sauer; and her great-great-granddaughter, Avery.

The family wishes to thank Judy Irish and Stephanie Hatfield for their loving assistance to Dixie during her last years, and the staff with Mercy Home Care and the staff at West Ridge in Cedar Rapids.

Online condolences may be left at www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com.