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Gassmann, Rita M.
Rita M. Gassmann, 90, of Dyersville, died Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013, at Oak Crest Manor in Dyersville. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, at Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville where a vigil service will be held at 4 p.m. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville with burial in the church cemetery. The Rev. Noah Diehm will officiate.
Rita was born Feb. 16, 1923, in Petersburg, Iowa, the daughter of Alphonse and Susan (Grawe) Kerkhoff. She married Arnold Joseph Gassmann on Nov. 12, 1946, in Petersburg. Together they raised seven children. He preceded her in death in 1974. She later married Clarence Gassmann on April 28, 1995, and he also preceded her in death in 1996.
Survivors include her seven children, Dennis (Rosie) Gassmann of Dubuque, Marcia (Fred) Ramler of Robins, Alana (Marty) Willenborg of Swisher, Janet (friend Robert Zimmermann) Swift of Lake Zurich, Ill., Ronald Gassmann of North Liberty, Tim (Becky) Gassmann of Marion and Shirley Hull of Cary, N.C.; eight stepchildren; 18 grandchildren, Andy (Jamie) and Nate (Annie) Gassmann and Gina (Derek) Nordskog, Dawn (Steve) Sweeney, Tina (Brad) Schoenfelder and Cory (Corinne) Ramler, Jason (Trisha) Willenborg and Angela (Chad) Sarsfield, Jonathan (Ashley) Swift, Meghan and Courtney Swift, Ian Gassmann, Lindsay (Ben Dexter) and Michael (Cody Allen) Gassmann, Ryan (Katherine) Hull and Jason, Kimberly and Ashley Hull; 15 great-grandchildren; siblings, Amanda Schmidt of Hartford, Wis., Eldon Kerkoff of Guttenberg and Modesta Overmann of Dyersville; and sister-in-law, Bernice Gassmann of Manchester.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Arnold; second husband, Clarence; granddaughter, Melissa Ramler in 1981; and in-laws, Ed Schmidt, Ed Overmann, Mathilda Ries, Aloysius Gassmann, Cecelia Hennen, Cletus Gassmann, Germaine Heying, Cyril Gassmann, Francis Gassmann, Leora Seymour and Harold Gassmann.
Online condolences may be left for the family at .
Published in The Gazette Sept. 30, 2013.
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