Rickels, Margaret 'Sue'

Margaret “Sue” Rickels, 76, of Mount Vernon, passed away Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, at her home in Mount Vernon. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, at the United Methodist Church in Mount Vernon. Dr. William Daylong will officiate. Following the funeral services, a time of food and fellowship will be held at the church. Burial will be at Hillcrest Cemetery in Brighton at 3 p.m. Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, at the church.

Margaret Suzanne Landess was born Aug. 28, 1936, in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, the daughter of Verne and Ethel (Stacy) Landess. She attended school in Anamosa. Sue was a merit scholar at the University of Iowa.

On Jan. 12, 1955, Sue was united in marriage to Raymond Rickels in Iowa City. Sue and her husband, Ray, were entrepreneurs of their day, opening several successful businesses, including their Garden Center from 1965-1971, their antiques shop, Red Shed Antiques, and their B&B, Inn Among the Trees.

Sue worked at Cornell College from 1973 to 1995 and was known affectionately as “Mother Cornell” by the students. Sue was a member of the United Methodist Church for 50 years and also a member of Eastern Star, Questers, and T.T.T. She hosted several international students over the course of 20 years.

Sue loved her family and cherished times with her grandchildren. She was an avid reader and “history buff.” Sue loved playing bridge, gardening, traveling, and volunteering.

Sue was loved and will be missed by her husband, Ray; her daughters, Dawn Thimm and husband Joe and Debra Rickels-Sabin; four grandchildren, Treva Thimm, Sean Sabin, Ashley Thimm and Cole Sabin; and one brother, Richard Landess and wife Kathryn.

Sue was preceded in death by her parents, Verne and Ethel Landess; and her sister, Jane Haeg.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established at the funeral home in memory of Sue.

Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lewisfuneralhomes.com.

The Stacy-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation Services of Columbus Junction is caring for Sue's arrangements and her family.

Published Sept. 10, 2012 in The Gazette