Mathilde Alice Kennel

Mathilde Alice Kennel

Coralville

Mathilde Alice Kennel, 87, died peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Her husband of 61 years, Norman Kennel, was at her bedside.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, April 10, 2023, at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Iowa City with Pastor Connie Spitzack officiating. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. at the church. A private family burial service will take place at Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in support of Mennonite Central Committee relief efforts in Ukraine.

Mathilde “Tillie” Kennel was born Aug. 29, 1935, in Falkenstein, (near Lvov) Ukraine, the third and youngest child of Rudolf and Christine (Schweitzer) Bachmann. As a result of German and Russian invasion, the Bachmann family was forced from their home at Christmas time in 1939. They moved to several resettlement camps, later to a farm west of Warsaw, and ended up in southwest Germany in a Mennonite immigration camp. With the help of the MCC, they were able to gain passage to the United States in the summer of 1949 where they were sponsored by local Amish families. Tillie attended and received her high school diploma from Iowa Mennonite School, and graduated from the University of Iowa in 1958 with a Bachelor of Art degree in Elementary Education. She married Norman Kennel on July 8, 1961. After teaching second grade for six years, Tillie worked as a project manager for the National Computer System (now Pearson’s) for 25 years, retiring in 2000. During retirement, Tillie and Norm enjoyed traveling. They were able to adventure together throughout Europe, Canada, and from coast to coast in the U.S. No matter how far she went, though, Tillie loved her home and her family the best. She was an avid flower gardener, and with the help of her grandkids, kept many pesky bunnies from her flower beds. Tillie also loved to read and her passion for learning and education continued, long after she stopped working. Tillie volunteered in the ICCSD at area grade schools, and Southeast Junior High, and earned the love and respect of the many students she was able to tutor in reading.

Tillie is survived by her husband, Norman Kennel; sons, Norman David (Kimberly) Kennel of Collierville, Tenn., Mark Kennel of Chicago, Ill., and Timothy Kennel (Colleen Finnegan) of Iowa City, Iowa; grandchildren, Nicholas, Mathilde, Kelsey (Jeromy), Tyler, Natasha, Kari,and Simon; great-granddaughter, Morgan; and many in-laws, nieces, and nephews.

Tillie was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Artur Bachmann; and sister, Nellie Christner.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.lensingfuneral.com.