Rebecca Donels

REBECCA J. (MATZEN) DONELS

Cedar Rapids

Rebecca J. Donels, 75, of Cedar Rapids, died Tuesday, April 5, 2016, at her home surrounded by her family. A Celebration of Life service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 8, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids, with the Rev. Lynn Furrow officiating. Visitation: 4 until 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be at a later date in Shellsburg Cemetery, Shellsburg.

Rebecca is survived by her husband of 55 years, Richard Donels of Cedar Rapids; her children, Darcy (David) McGuire, Scott (Angie) Donels and Jodi (Eric) Olson, all of Cedar Rapids; her grandchildren, Heather (Dan) Farley, Kailey (Eric) Sells, Alyssa Olson, Alex Olson, Kaleb Donels and Kara McGuire; siblings, Diane Soesbe of Fulton, Ill., Rob (Margaret) Matzen of Olympia, Wash., Jane (David) Zimmerman of Monroe, Wis., Cathy (Don) Merritt of Rock Island, Ill., and Janet (Tony) Weigel of Muscoda, Wis.; and their dogs, Harley and Oly.

Rebecca was preceded in death by her parents; stepmother, Dorothy Matzen; a sister and her husband, Judy and Toby Wilke; brother, John Matzen; parents-in-law, Leon and Frances Donels; sister-in-law, Jeanne Matzen Fiet; and brother-in-law, Dennis Donels.

Rebecca was born Jan. 20, 1941, in Clinton, Iowa, the daughter of Frank and Lois (Cole) Matzen. She graduated in 1959 from Clinton High School, then studied to be a cosmetologist. On June 18, 1960, Rebecca was united in marriage to Richard L. Donels in Shellsburg. She worked in various beauty salons in the Czech Village area of Cedar Rapids before retiring in 2003.

Rebecca attended Spring of Life Church. She enjoyed going to the casinos, watching the Cubs and going to her grandchildren's activities.

Memorials may be directed to the family to be distributed to Rebecca's favorite charites.

Please share a memory of Rebecca at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.