Marie Kreitzer, 85

Feb. 18, 1935 —

Nov. 19, 2020

 

CRESCO - Marie (Gerleman) Kreitzer of Cresco, Iowa passed away on Nov. 19, 2020 at the age of 85.

A private family Mass of Christian Burial was held at Notre Dame Catholic Church on Nov. 23, with Fr. Jacob Rouse officiating. Burial was in Calvary Catholic Cemetery.

She was born on Feb. 18, 1935, to Edmund and Cecilia Gerleman in Calmar, Iowa. She attended St. Aloysius School and upon graduation attended and completed cosmetology school in Waterloo, Iowa.

Marie met and had the first dance with the love of her life, Ron Kreitzer, in June 1955 at the Inwood Ballroom in Spillville, Iowa. Two years later, on Aug. 10, 1957, they were married. After honeymooning in South Dakota, they settled briefly in Ridgeway, Iowa before establishing their family farm just south of Cresco in 1964. They spent many happy, busy and memory-filled years raising three children on this farm, Dale, Keith and Julie. In 2006, they moved to Cresco.

Marie loved to bake and tend to her garden, with her pies and preserves always at the ready for her family. She was a talented quilter, who sewed love into the quilts she made for weddings and new babies. There was a tiny “MK” embroidered somewhere on each one. Marie loved to spend time with her family and friends by going dancing, playing a few games of Euchre or simply visiting with each other. She especially treasured time spent with her sisters.

Although she had a lot of accomplishments, including several baking awards, it was clear that she was most proud of her four grandchildren. Marie never missed a concert, school play, sporting event, ceremony or any other special event and would proudly post their latest photos and newspaper clippings on her refrigerator. She was never too busy for a game of Go Fish or to tell a funny story about when her grandchildren’s dads were little and gladly helped when someone waited until the last minute to complete a fourth grade quilting project for a Laura Ingalls Wilder unit at school. 

Her kitchen was always full of treats and hugs, and in the closet were plenty of dress up clothes, books, games and toys. When great-grandchildren arrived many years later, her arms were always available for feeding and rocking them to sleep. Her greatest joy was watching her family grow. 

Marie is survived by her husband, Ron; her children, Dale (Jean) Kreitzer of Cresco and Keith (Brenda) Kreitzer of Decorah, Iowa; grandchildren, Jennifer (Chris) Yarber of Marietta, Ga., Laura (Tanner) Wenzel of Lisle, Ill., Ryan (McKayla) Kreitzer of Cresco and David Kreitzer of Decorah; two step-grandchildren, Nate Farley of Faribault, Minn. and Cory Farley of Nashville, Tenn.; three great-grandchildren, Cameron and Claire and Baby Wenzel, due in May; and two step-great-grandchildren, Beardon and Natalie. 

She is also survived by her sisters, Edna Franke, Margaret (Bob) Koenigsfeld, Mardel (Larry) Corcoran, Betty (John) Pell and Phyllis (Ron) Prybelski; sister-in-law, Rita (Paul) Gerleman; brother-in-law, Wayne (Jan) Kreitzer; and sister-in-law, Colleen (Larry) Thomas. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Julie; her brother, Paul; and brothers-in-law, Patrick Weigel and Bob Franke.