Wilgenbusch, Mabel

Mabel Wilgenbusch, 102, of Stonehill Care Center, formerly of Rickardsville, passed away Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012 at Stonehill Care Center. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 6, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Rickardsville, with Msgr. Lyle Wilgenbusch officiating. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 3860 Asbury Rd., Dubuque. Burial will be in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Rickardsville.

Mabel was born on Aug. 9, 1910, to George and Barbara (Schmitt) Pfeiler in Rickardsville. She married Ralph N. Wilgenbusch, June 6, 1933 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Rickardsville. He preceded her in death on Dec. 25, 1996. Mabel lived a quiet and simple life. She was very proud of her six boys and daughters-in-law. Mabel and Ralph farmed near Rickardsville until 1973 when they moved to the town of Rickardsville. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Rickardsville, its Rosary Society and The Catholic Order of Foresters, Court 774.

Those left to honor her memory include five sons, Donald (Norma), Eldon (Gin), Melvin (Marlene), Merlin (LaVonne), all of Rickardsville, and Loras (Susan) of Victor; 26 grandchildren; 54 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandsons; and sister-in-law, Margaret (Wilgenbusch) Kemp.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ralph; a son and daughter-in-law, James and Betty Wilgenbusch; a grandson, Joseph Wilgenbusch; her brothers, Aloysius, Leonard, Raymond and Roy; and her sister, Frances Heiderscheit.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Stonehill Care Center or St. Joseph Catholic Church, Rickardsville.

A heartfelt thank you to the staff at Stonehill and Hospice of Dubuque.

Online condolences may be left for the family at .

Published in The Gazette Dec. 4, 2012.