Mary A. (Gogel) Kelchen

MARY A. (GOGEL) KELCHEN

Robins

Mary A. (Gogel) Kelchen, 72, of Robins, Iowa, died on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids from a sudden illness with her family at her side. Visitation: 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 24, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Hiawatha, Iowa. Funeral Mass: 1 p.m. Saturday at the church. Burial will follow Mass at Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Mary was born to Raymond J. and Helen M. (Greiner) Gogel on May 8, 1946, in Dyersville, Iowa, the fourth of 10 children. She graduated from Springville High School in 1964. Mary married John J. Kelchen on April 16, 1966, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Prairieburg, Iowa.

Mary retired from Best of Iowa Community Credit Union, now known as UICCU, in 2008 after 25 years of service. She enjoyed working and making friends with the membership.

Most of all, she enjoyed getting together with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family, especially during the holidays. She loved to attend activities and sports that her grandchildren were involved in.

In her retirement, she enjoyed camping, gardening, putting together 1,000- to 2,000-piece puzzles, sewing and playing cards with friends. John and Mary loved traveling, especially to Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, Australia/New Zealand, Ireland and different parts of the United States.

While her children were in school, she was involved as a Cub Scout den mother, assistant Camp Fire leader, PTA member and teaching religious education classes. Mary was a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, where she was a Eucharistic minister for many years.

Mary is survived by her husband, John, of 52 years; her children, John Jr. (Kelli) and his sons, Michael (Alyssa) and Jaren (Desiree); Donald (Laurie) and their children, Tyler, Ashley and Ryan; and Laura (Darrin) Wood and their daughters, Brenna and Abygail. Also surviving are her three great-grandchildren, Ayden, Karter and Adalynn; brothers, Ray (Betty) Gogel and Charles Gogel; sisters, Linda (Dick) Taylor, Janice (Jack) Miles, Sandra (John) Cummings, Sue Wooder, Patty (Richie) Price and Phyllis (Karen) Gogel; brothers- and sisters-in-law, Dave McDowell, Theresa Dullea, Bill (Dolores) Kelchen, Phillip (Virginia) Kelchen, Lee Kelchen, Ruth (Dick) Pasker, Charlie (Vicki) Kelchen and Steven (Kor) Kelchen; and her "special cousin," Dianne Steffen.

Mary was preceded in death by her father and mother, Raymond and Helen; sister, Anita McDowell; father- and mother-in-law, Al and Leona Kelchen; stepfather, Franklin Bruce; brothers-in law, Patrick Cummings, Dale Wooder, Allen Kelchen, Robert Kelchen, Larry Kelchen, Yale Mills, Bob Pauly and Alfred DeRosia; sisters-in-law, Betty DeRosia and Rita Kelchen; and many special nieces and nephews.

Memorials or donations may be directed to Hall Perrine Cancer Center, Eastern Iowa March of Dimes, Mercy Heart Center, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church or Mercy Hospice.

Mary's final act of kindness was to share the gift of life through organ donation with the Iowa Donor Network.

Please share a memory of Mary at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.