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Koelker, Pearl C.
Pearl C. Koelker, 91, of Dyersville, died at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, at the Hiawatha Care Center in Hiawatha. Friends and relatives of Pearl may call from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Reiff Funeral Home in Dyersville, where a wake service will be held at 3 p.m. and a rosary by the Dyersville American Legion and the New Vienna VFW Auxiliary at 4 p.m. Services for Pearl will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday Jan. 9, at the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville, with the Rev. Dennis Quint officiating. Burial will be held in St. Francis Cemetery, Dyersville.
Pearl was born May 9, 1920, in Petersburg, Iowa, daughter of Joseph and Clara (Osterhaus) Bagge. She attended the Petersburg Schools and later attained her GED. On Aug. 2, 1948, she was united in marriage to Omer J. Koelker at St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Dyersville.
Pearl was employed at Ertl Toys, Piekenbrock Bros., as a cook at the Ritz and later she did wedding catering. She was a member of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Dyersville, the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, and the Dyersville American Legion Auxiliary.
She is survived by three sons: Lee (Rosie) Koelker of Cedar Rapids, and their children, Jason (and Jodie) and Stephanie (and Chris); Mike Koelker of Burlington, and his children, Kullen, Gabrielle and Quinn; and Kris (Patty) Koelker of Cedar Rapids, and their daughters, Kelsey and Lauren; five great-grandchildren, Adrianna, Tyler, Grace, Audrey and Ryan; five siblings, Alice Bockenstedt of Dubuque, Jeanette Tauke of Dyersville, Priscilla (LaVern) Moorman of Strawberry Point, Dan (Myrna) Bagge of Dyersville and Mary Ellen Hoefler of Lamont; brother- and sisters-in-law, Imogene Bagge, Carol Bagge, Gladys Koelker and Virgene Meyer, all of Dyersville, and Bernice McDonald of Dubuque.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Omer J. Koelker on Aug. 10, 1998; a grandson, Kreyton Koelker on Jan. 24, 1995; two brothers, Jerome Bagge and Leon Bagge; and two sisters, Mila and Betty Bagge.
A Pearl C. Koelker memorial fund has been established.
Online condolences may be left for the family at
Published Jan. 7, 2012, in The Gazette
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