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Iva Fratzke
IVA MAE (O'BRIEN) FRATZKE
Independence
Iva Mae (O'Brien) Fratzke, 93, of Independence, died Friday, Sept. 16, 2016, at Buchanan County Health Center following a brief illness.
She was born March 25, 1923, in Waterloo, the daughter of Thomas Edward and Lelia Alice (Beyer) O'Brien. She moved to Otterville at age 3 and started Sunday school at Otterville Presbyterian Church. Her family later moved to the O'Brien farm west of Otterville and she started school that fall at Perry No. 6 Country School. In 1940, she graduated from Jesup High School.
Iva met Louie Albert Fratzke at a dance in Jesup and they were married July 1, 1944, at Otterville Presbyterian Church. Iva and Louie were very active at the Senior Center in Independence, where they organized the Hoedowns dance club in 1995. She served on the Area Council on Aging and was a member of First United Methodist Church in Independence. The couple enjoyed doing things together, especially traveling in their RV, dancing and helping family and friends everywhere they went.
Her greatest enjoyment was found in her family,
baby-sitting, baking cookies and preparing big dinners for the family on holidays and all family gatherings.
She is survived by three children, Becky (Ken) Christensen of Independence, Thomas (Tammy) Fratzke of Milan, Ill., and Mike (Shelly) Fratzke of Independence; seven grandchildren, Chris Christensen, Jodie Zieser, Marty and Andy Fratzke, Jenni, Samatha and Tina Fratzke; nine great-grandchildren; a sister, Darlene Beatty of Independence; and three brothers, Floyd (Bink) O'Brien of Ashville, N.C., Dick O'Brien of Independence and Pat O'Brien of Prescott, Ariz.
Iva was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Louis, in 2008; a grandson, Scott Foland Fratzke; a sister, Mary Lou Melka; and a brother, Harvey O'Brien.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, at First Presbyterian Church in Independence, with the Rev. Scott Meador officiating. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery, Independence. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Reiff Funeral Home & Crematory in Independence and from 9 a.m. to service time Tuesday at the church.
To leave an online condolence, please go to www.reifffuneralhome.com under obituaries.
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