116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Drilling, Ramona
Ramona Drilling, 71, died peacefully at home in Ossian on April 5, 2010. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Saturday, April 10, at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Ossian, with inurnment in the church cemetery. Greeting of friends will be from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday at the church.
She is survived by her brother-in-law, Donald Burch; one nephew, Kevin Burch; two nieces, Bethann and Linus Kuhn and Susan Burch; several great-nieces and great-nephews; and many friends and relatives.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her special uncle and god father, Brother Adrian Powers; her husband, Donald; her sister, Pat Burch; and nephew, Steve Burch.
Ramona was born April 14, 1938, in Ossian, Iowa, the daughter of Bill and Ruby (Powers) Murphy. She was baptized and confirmed in her faith at St. Francis de Sales, where she remained a life long member. She received her education at De Sales Catholic School. On Sept. 13, 1958, she was united in marriage to Donald Drilling at St. Francis de Sales. They made their first home in Decorah and after a year moved to Ossian, where they purchased a home and started Don's Radio and TV.
Ramona entered the work force following high school graduation at the telephone company in Decorah. She then transferred to Oelwein and shortly after to Waterloo, where she finished her career after 30 years of service. She then began a second career as a jail matron for the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Department, where she retired in 1998.
Some of her favorite hobbies included cards with the bridge club and poker nights with Willy and the boys, talking on the phone, dancing and baking.
Ramona was treasurer for Tri Township for many years. She was a Justice of the Peace for Winneshiek County presiding at court and performing several marriage ceremonies. She held a seat on the Ossian City Council and was a union steward for Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. and AT&T. She was a member of the St. Francis de Sales Rosary Society and Catholic Daughters of the Americas.
In lieu of flowers, Ramona's wishes were that donations be sent to the Ossian Ambulance Fund or Ossian Fire Department.
Online condolences may be left at
Daily Newsletters