Knoedel, Marguerite Gatens

Marguerite Gatens Knoedel

Marguerite “Peg” Knoedel, 91, of Legacy Pointe, 1020 S. Scott Blvd., Iowa City, died Tuesday, April 23, 2013, at Mercy Hospital Hospice. A rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 28, at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service (605 Kirkwood Ave. in Iowa City), with a visitation from 2 to 4 p.m. Funeral Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. Monday, April 29, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, officiated by Father John Spiegel. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery.

Marguerite was born April 10, 1922, in Cedar County to James and Anna (Tucker) Gatens. She attended school in Springdale and later at St. Patrick's in Iowa City, where she graduated in 1939. She married Joe Knoedel on Sept. 16, 1947, at St. Patrick's Church in Iowa City. Before her marriage, she worked at the photo counter of Louis Drug Store, as a secretary for the Selective Service System during World War II, at Metcalf-Hamilton Construction, and at the Red Cross. After her children were in school, Marguerite worked as a secretary at Burge Hall and for 17 years at the University of Iowa College of Business in Phillips Hall. In her early retirement years she contributed food for the Free Lunch Program, helped with St. Mary's funeral luncheons, and with mailings at Mercy Hospital.

Over the years she belonged to Catholic Daughters of America, St. Mary's Altar & Rosary, Iowa City Women's Club, and the University of Iowa Women's Club.

Her children will remember her for her patience and generosity, the fun she had at Bridge Club and lunches with her St. Mary's and St. Patrick's friends, the extended sidebars she and her sister Eileen went on whenever an Iowa City name came up, a lifelong love of sweets and an avoidance of posing for pictures, and her devotion to St. Mary's Church.

Nothing gave her greater joy than to be with family, and for her, raising seven children was a blessing and not a burden. She always joked that she never went without a child in diapers for 15 straight years! She had a wonderful life for 91 years and was thankful to God for her good fortune and the great residents and staff at Legacy Pointe and neighbors she had on Wilson Street.

She is survived by six children, Margie and husband Jack Sjoquist of Bloomington, Minn., Jim and wife Denise of Chicago, Bill and wife Susy of Urbandale, Susan and partner Cesca Piuma of Madison, Wis., Andy of North Liberty and Mary Ellen and husband Brian Sullivan of Edina, Minn.; four grandchildren, Matt and Michael (Bill and Susy) and Brett and Daniel (Mary and Brian); and sisters-in-law, Rita Gatens of Calistoga, Calif., and Veronica Gatens of Green Bay, Wis.

Marguerite was preceded in death by her husband, Joe (1919-1995); a son, Don; and three siblings, Eileen Donnelly and Ervin and Melvin Gatens.

Memorial donations may be directed to St. Mary's Parish in Iowa City, Mercy Hospital Hospice, or the Don Knoedel Scholarship at the University of Iowa College of Engineering.

Online condolences may be directed to www.lensingfuneral.com.

Published April 25, 2013 in The Gazette