Guetzko, Margrette “Peg” Elinor

Margrette “Peg” Elinor Guetzko, 85, of Cedar Rapids, died Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy, Hiawatha. Services: 1 p.m. Saturday at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids, where the family will greet friends from 10 a.m. until service time. Rev. Bill Harnish will officiate. Entombment: Linwood Cemetery Mausoleum, Cedar Rapids.

Survivors include her daughter, Mary Jane Schluter O'Hara of Marengo; her son, Gary Van Cura of Cedar Rapids and special friend, Diane Moeller, who helped Peg throughout her illness; four grandchildren, Teresa Pietraz, Julie (Allen) Koenig, Scott (Shauna) Shay and John Shay; eight great-grandchildren, Damon, Deatra, Alex, Kelsey, Michael, Megan, Eric and Molly; a brother, Lloyd (Jo) Hoyle Jr. of St. Francisville, La.; many nieces and nephews; her dog, Brandy; Evelyn Berens of Mount Vernon, Vida and Jerry Engel of Marion, Don and Wilma Guetzko of Delhi, and Betty McGee of Winter Haven, Florida.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Louis Guetzko; three sisters, Helen Hayes, Gertrude Cassidy and Clara Adkinson; and four brothers, Dwight, Everette, John and Lawrence.

Peg was born April 16, 1924, the daughter of Lloyd and Daisy (Waggoner) Hoyle in Louisa County, Iowa. On Dec. 19, 1942, she married Donald Van Cura. They later divorced in 1979. She married Louis Guetzko on May 30, 1987. He died Feb. 28, 1991. A beautician, Peg owned and operated Van Cura's Beauty Salon from 1962 to 1979. Special friends and employees who worked with her all these years and meant a lot to her were, Bev Yancey, Becky Donels, Karen Cole and her daughter, Mary Jane.

Peg enjoyed being a beautician, gardening, flowers, golf and playing cards. She also was an outspoken community activist, who got involved in politics behind the scenes. Her greatest joy was her loving family, friends and entertaining company.

Memorials may be directed to Anna Purna Ghosh Foundation, P.O. Box 1248, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406, or Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy, 315 18th Avenue, Hiawatha, IA 52233, in memory of Margrette “Peg” Guetzko.

Please sign the online guest book for Peg at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.