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Antonette Stuessel
ANTONETTE "TONIE" STUESSEL
Marion
Antonette Teresa "Tonie" Stuessel, 66, of Marion, passed at her home surrounded by her family following a courageous battle with Leiomyosarcoma. The family will greet friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 2, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Marion. Celebration of Life: 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 3, at the funeral home in Marion. To honor Tonie, the family requests that guests dress casually to attend. Private family inurnment will take place at a later date.
Survivors include her husband of 41 years, Ed; two children, Samantha Irene Stuessel (Jeremy Weber) of Marion and Alex Edward (Amy) Stuessel of Springville; mother, Rita F. Ralston of Burlington; two grandchildren, Ruby and Nolan Stuessel; four siblings, Angela (Clayton) Klemish of Arizona, Martha Upton of Burlington, Michael Ralston of Burlington and Nanette Verrips of Burlington; and numerous nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters-in-law and close friends.
She was preceded in death by her father; grandparents; in-laws; infant brother, Timothy Ralston; and niece, Adona Ralston.
Tonie was born April 1, 1948, in Burlington, the daughter of Rita F. (Davison) and Donald E. Ralston Jr. She graduated from Burlington High School and attended business school there. Tonie married Edward Stuessel on March 2, 1974, in Cedar Rapids. She worked at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids for 30 years, retiring in 2006.
Tonie faced her illness in the same ways she faced everyday life: with grace, dignity and humor, never bothering to assign blame. She loved to help anyone and everyone; her giving heart was almost too big to contain.
The loves of her life were her family, and she called her beloved grandchildren, her "Joy." She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, shopping and everything she could do with or for her family.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Tonie's memory.
The family extends a special thanks to the teams of Dr. Deb Wilbur, Dr. Mohammed Milhem, Dr. David Bender and Hospice of Mercy for all of their loving care of Tonie.
Please share a memory of Tonie at www.murdoch funeralhome.com under obituaries.
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