Lorenzen, Mary Regina Monaghan Zaruba

Mary Regina Monaghan Zaruba Lorenzen, 93, of Center Point, formerly of Cedar Rapids, died Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha. Funeral Mass: 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church. The Rev. Ivan Nienhaus will officiate. Inurnment: St. John's Cemetery. Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, where there will be special services at 6 p.m. by the Nurses Honor Guard from Mercy. There also will be a visitation at the church after 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

Mary was born Nov. 16, 1917, in Kinross, to Bernard M. Monahan and Anna E. Doyle. On May 31, 1936, she graduated from Parnell High School. She graduated from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Cedar Rapids on May 9, 1939, and was employed for many years at Mercy Hospital. She was head nurse on the orthopedic floor, retiring in 1979. Mary wed John Zaruba on Jan. 25, 1941, and they raised four children together. John passed away Jan. 16, 1976. On May 3, 1980, she wed Earl Lorenzen. Earl passed away on June 13, 2009. After Earl's death, Mary made her home in Center Point with her daughter and son-in-law, Helen and George Simpson.

Survivors include four children, Mary Walke of Cedar Rapids, Helen Simpson (George) of Center Point, John Zaruba of Marion and Paul Zaruba of Bellevue; 12 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; her brother, Charles Monaghan; and several nieces and nephews.

Mary was preceded in death by her husbands, John and later Earl; sisters, Madeline Murphy and Geraldine Passino; brothers, Leo, Francis and Leonard Monaghan; and grandson, Nick Klein.

Mary was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and the National Catholic Order of Foresters. She enjoyed her family, needle work, cooking, baking, and was the best kolache maker in the area.

Memorial donations may be sent in her name to St. Patrick's Catholic Church or to the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha.

Please leave a message or tribute to Mary's family on the Web page,  under Obituaries.

Due to recent construction, it is required that visitors to Cedar Memorial enter making a right turn from westbound First Avenue (heading toward downtown).

Published Sept. 22, 2011, in The Gazette