Rickels, Mary Lou

Mary Lou Rickels, 84, died Monday, Oct. 10, 2011. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, at the First Presbyterian Church, Monticello, with interment in the Oakwood Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. today at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello. The Rev. Al Polito Jr. will officiate at the services.

In lieu of flowers. a memorial fund has been established.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at .

Mary Lou is survived by her daughter, Pamela (Raymond Frank) Johnson of Monticello; a son, Douglas (Rachele) Rickels of Worthington; six grandchildren, Jacob Johnson of Minneapolis, Minn., Amanda “Mandy” Johnson (Mark Gardner) of Moab, Utah, Dr. Michael Rickels of West Hartford, Conn., Meghan (Tyler) Raeder of Glendale, Ariz., Rebekah Rickels of Cedar Falls, and Kristen Rickels of Worthington; and two sisters. Ruth Lahey and June Reiter. both of Monticello.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Don in 1980; and her sisters, Lenora (Beck), Jean, Joan and Wilma.

Mary Lou Hein was born Jan. 25, 1927, in Monticello, Iowa. She was the daughter of John and Margaret Allen Hein. She was raised on a farm in rural Monticello and was a 1946 graduate of Monticello High School. After graduation, Mary Lou worked as a telephone operator and later at the hot lunch program at school. Mary Lou married Donald William Rickels June 15, 1950. at Independence, Iowa. Together they farmed and ran a grain dealership, doing custom corn shelling and grain hauling for over 30 years.

Her last years were spent struggling with Alzheimer's and the family wishes to thank those in the community who assisted her with this gradual process and allowed her to remain in her home and in the community for so long, and also to those at Silvercrest of Anamosa for her excellent care.

Published in The Gazette Oct. 11, 2011.