Redlinger, Cletus R.

Cletus R. Redlinger, 78, of Solon and longtime Iowa City resident, died Sunday, April 21, 2013, at Mercy Iowa City. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Solon with the Rev. James Vrba officiating. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Lensing Funeral Service in Iowa City, with a parish rosary beginning at 2:45 p.m. Burial will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Cemetery in Iowa City.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Solon Fire Department, Friends of Solon Public Library or St. Mary's Church.

Cletus Ralph Redlinger was born Nov. 24, 1934, in Harper, Iowa, the son of John and Clara (Sondag) Redlinger. Growing up in Harper, Cletus graduated from St. Elizabeth High School in Harper and attended Iowa City Commercial College. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1955 to 1959 as a staff sergeant.

Cletus married Raberta “Cookie” Rugg on June 23, 1962, in Harper. Together, Cletus and Cookie raised two children, Susan and Andrew. Cletus began working for Johnson County in 1963 and was elected Johnson County Treasurer in 1984. Cletus loyally served in that position until his retirement in 1998. Following his wife Cookie's death in April of 1989, Cletus later met and married Margo Knebel on Dec. 27, 1991, in Iowa City.

He was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Iowa City and after Cletus and Margo moved to the Solon area, joined St. Mary's Catholic Church in Solon. Cletus was also a member of Johnson County I Club and the Iowa State Association of Counties, of which he was past president. In retirement, as so many of you know, Cletus worked part time at Lensing Funeral Service.

Survivors include his wife, Margo; daughter, Susan Siddell (Robert) of Solon; and son, Andrew Redlinger (Kris) of Solon; stepsons, Daniel Knebel (Doria) and Andrew Knebel (April), all of Iowa City; stepdaughters, Anita Ehmsen of Mount Vernon and Annette Knebel (fiance Tim Shields) of Iowa City; grandchildren, Jordon, Bailey, Mason, Haleigh, Keighley, Logan, Annabelle, Elizabeth, Carsyn, Maxwell, Tami (Melissa), Miley and Aiden; brothers, Bernard Redlinger and John Redlinger (Marian), all of Harper; a sister, Virginia “Ginny” O'Donnell of Iowa City; mother-in-law, Marjorie Johnston of North English; and many nieces and nephews.

Those who died before Cletus are his parents; his wife, Cookie; a grandson, Nicolaus Siddell; sisters, Leola Redlinger and Mary Greiner; and brothers, Alvin and James Redlinger.

Condolences may be sent to the family at .

Published in The Gazette April 23, 2013.