De Etta Hemesath, 92

July 17, 1926 —

April 6, 2019

 

Ridgeway - De Etta I. Hemesath, age 92, of Ridgeway, Iowa died on Saturday, April 6, 2019, at Barthell Eastern Star Home in Decorah, Iowa.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Cresco, Iowa on Thursday, April 11, 2019, at 11 a.m. with Father Dennis Cain officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 10, 2019, from 4-7 p.m. at Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home in Cresco with Rosary recited at 3:30 p.m. and will continue at the church for one hour prior to the service on Thursday. 

De Etta Ida Huinker was born near Festina, Iowa, on July 17, 1926, the daughter of Edmund S. and Mathilda J. (Pitzenberger) Huinker. She graduated from Calmar (Iowa) High School, after which, she worked for a lawyer in Decorah. Shortly before her marriage, she cleaned house for a priest in Gilbertville, Iowa. 

On May 20, 1947, she was united in marriage to Alphonse “Al” Hemesath at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Calmar. Following their marriage, they farmed northwest of Cresco on three different sites for eight years before purchasing their home farm, three miles west of Ridgeway in Lincoln Township. In 1985, they moved to a farm in Bluffton Township where they discontinued milking and raised beef cattle. Because of Al’s health, they retired in December 1999. 

De Etta was a true farmer’s wife. She helped Al on the farm by carrying buckets of milk and washing the milkers. She planted a large vegetable garden that provided for her family. She liked canning, cooking and baking. Fresh bread with homemade strawberry jam and kolaches were a treat waiting for her children when they came home from school. 

De Etta was a talented seamstress, often making clothes for her children. She also enjoyed weaving rugs on a loom and quilting. She donated several quilts for the Quilt Auction during Norman Borlaug Harvest Fest. She was a member of St. Joseph’s  (now Notre Dame) Catholic Church. She was involved in parish life by volunteering her time as a seventh grade CCD leader and was a rosary society member. 

De Etta is survived by her children, Mary Jeanne Hemesath of West St. Paul, Minn., Marcia (Tom) Grimm of Prairie City, Iowa, Maxine (Cletus) Humpal of Ridgeway, Mark (Carolyn) Hemesath of Ridgeway, Donna (Don) Baumler of West Union, Iowa and Matthew (Mary) Hemesath of Ridgeway; 14 grandchildren, Jeff (Melissa) Grimm of Johnston, Iowa, Jason (Kristi) Grimm of Palo, Iowa, Jennifer (Bevan) Everett of Colfax, Iowa, Sara (Dennis) Bakula of Windsor, Colo., Amy (Cole) Humpal-Hoscheit, DVM of Caledonia, Minn., Michael Hemesath of Cresco, Travis (Katelyn) Hemesath of Manchester, Iowa, Karla Baumler of Chicago, Kurt (Kelli) Baumler of West Union, Kristin (Ryan) Oberbroeckling of Garnavillo, Iowa, Dalton Hemesath of Ridgeway, Braden Hemesath of Ridgeway, Randy Hageman of Burlington, Iowa and Russell Hageman of Decorah; 11 great-grandchildren; her sister, Gladys Elsbernd of Decorah; brother, Dennis Huinker of Calmar; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Huinker of Garner, Iowa, Martha Huinker of Ames, Iowa and Deann Hemesath of Ossian, Iowa; and brother-in-law, Henry (Marilyn) Hemesath of Monona, Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Alphonse “Al” in 2001; her sister, Leona (James) Watt; brothers, Alvin Huinker, Paul (Georgina) Huinker and Dave Huinker; sisters-in-law, Elberta Huinker and Doris Huber; and brothers-in-law, Roger Elsbernd, Elmer Hemesath, Arthur Hemesath and Joseph Hemesath. 

Online condolences may be left at www.Hindtfuneralhomes.com.