Della Mitchell, 96
Mon, 01/16/2023 - 5:40pm
admin
Feb. 19, 1926 —
Jan. 11, 2023
ELMA - Della Mitchell, age 96, of Cresco, Iowa died on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, at Colonial Manor of Elma, Iowa.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023 at Notre Dame Parish in Cresco with Fr. Jacob Rouse presiding. Visitation will be held on Tuesday at the church, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Cresco. Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home in Cresco is handling the arrangements.
Adella Katherine Kuennen was born on Feb. 19, 1926, the daughter of Clem and Matilda (Croatt) Kuennen in rural St. Lucas, Iowa. She attended country school until the eighth grade.
For 42 years, Della drove a school bus for the Howard-Winneshiek School District. In between the bus routes, she was a waitress at Davis Corners Restaurant. She was a talented seamstress, making clothing for her children and alterations for Leutholds Clothing Store. If her own children outgrew clothing that she made, the items would be passed on to children on the bus route who were in need.
Della’s work for the day did not end when the bus route finished. On her farm, she raised and sold butcher chickens, had massive vegetable gardens to tend and a huge strawberry patch. She had a loyal canine companion, Bucky, who would help her get back up if she was too stiff after weeding for hours. She liked to bake up a storm and was known for her black walnut angel food cake with brown sugar frosting.
Della is survived by her children, JoAnne Mitchell of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Kathy Patito of Sierra Madre, Calif., Janet Gunhus of Cresco, Richard Mitchell of Rochester, Minn., Debbie (Randy) Forster of Boise, Idaho and Gerald “Tom” Mitchell of Lime Springs, Iowa; nine grandchildren, Jerry, Shelly, Joseph, Katherine, Dustin, Nick, Kristina, Katie and Zach (Alex); a great-grandchild on the way; sister, Arlene (Frank) Wilusz of Arizona; brother Gerald “Jerry” (Margaret) Kuennen of St. Lucas; and sisters-in-law, MaryJo Kuennen and Donna Kuennen.
She was preceded in death by her parents; son, Bobby; brothers, Leon, Clarence (Geneva) and James; sisters, Ruth (Gerald) Oyloe, Lori (Linus) Huinker and Edna (Cyril) Holthaus; and brother-in-law, Ralph Imoehl.
