Obituaries Archive

Michael J. Mockler

Michael John Mockler, 30, of Dubuque, IA entered peacefully into eternal life on January 21, 2021 after a courageous journey with brain cancer.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 26 from 3-7 p.m. in the Resurrection Church social space in Dubuque, with the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 2 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Wednesday, January 27 at 10:30 a.m. at Resurrection Church with Fr. Ken Frisch presiding. The funeral mass will be live-streamed on the Miller Funeral Home Group facebook page.. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Sinsinawa, WI. Masks and social distancing are encouraged. Occupancy guidelines will be followed.

Michael was born on February 8, 1990 to John and Caroline Hartmann) Mockler in Worcester, MA, which gave him his passion for the Patriots, Red Sox, and all seafood. He was a dedicated Hawkeye fan who enjoyed nature. Humble and kind, Michael embraced life each day with a positive attitude and made an impact on all those around him. Michael was a proud member of the Wahlert Catholic High School Class of 2008 and named Outstanding Senior of the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Class of 2012. He enjoyed his time rehabilitating birds, especially bald eagles, at the Raptor Education Group (REGI) and he loved his work team at Mi-T-M.

Above all else, Michael loved his bride, Cassie. They were married on March 1, 2014 at St. Joseph Church, Sinsinawa and loved each other perfectly. They enjoyed going on adventures, running together, and spending time with family and friends. Michael was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus and St. Joseph Holy Name Society. He put his faith above all things and inspired everyone with the way he lived his life.

Michael is survived by his wife, Cassandra, parents, John and Caroline Mockler, siblings, Katherine (Andy Meyer), Brian, Emma, and Sarah Mockler, parents-in-law, Roger and Mary Ellen Berning, siblings-in-law, Ryan (Kaitlyn) Berning, Katrina (David) Ernst, Benjamin (Bailey) Berning, Clara (Eric) Meyer, and Ruth (fiancé Jonny Carlson) Berning, and many beloved godchildren, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Michael is preceded in death by his angel baby, Aurora, in 2019, paternal grandparents, John P. and Mary Lee Mockler, maternal grandparents, Frank and Agnes Hartmann, and uncle, Mark E. Hartmann.

In lieu of flowers, a Michael Mockler Memorial fund will be established.

The Miller Funeral Home of East Dubuque is serving the family.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.millerfhed.com.©

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

Ralph V. Tigges

Ralph V. Tigges, age 88, of Dubuque and formerly of East Dubuque, IL, was called home peacefully at 4:44 p.m., on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at MercyOne Dubuque.  To celebrate Ralph’s life, family and friends may visit from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., on Monday, January 25, 2021, at Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street.  Due to COVID-19 concerns the number of people inside the building will be limited, all who attend will be required to wear a face covering, and are asked to please maintain social distancing practices.  To honor Ralph’s life, funeral services will be held immediately following the visitation at 11:00 a.m., on Monday at Behr Funeral Home, with Deacon John Stierman officiating.  The service will be available for viewing on the Behr Funeral Home Facebook page.  Burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, where full military honors will be accorded by the Dubuque Marine Corps League.

Ralph was born on March 29, 1932, in Dubuque, Iowa, son of Edmund and Ella (Linden) Tigges.

Ralph honorably served his country as an U.S. Army Corporal from 1950-1952, during the Korean War.  Upon his return, Ralph began his career with Dubuque Stamping and Manufacturing before going to Flexsteel Industries where he was a machine operator.  He devoted 42 years to Flexsteel until his well earned retirement in 1997.  Ralph was united in marriage to Carol Schmitt on May 16, 1953, at St. Patrick’s Church in Dubuque.  They raised their family together and were blessed with 49 years of marriage before Carol sadly passed away on August 26, 2002.  Ralph was a loving husband, father and grandpa who worked hard, but also enjoyed spending quality time with his family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, neighbors and friends over the years.  A friendly game of Euchre was sure to be happening.  When he had a little down time Ralph loved spending it in the great outdoors hunting and fishing.  He looked forward to hosting an Annual Fish Fry at his house every Labor Day weekend to bring everyone together.  He also enjoyed family time out on the river and at the cottage in Bellevue, Iowa.  Ralph was truly a wonderful man and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

Those left to cherish Ralph’s memory include

his children,
Terrance “Terry” Tigges, Elk River, MN,
Gerald “Jerry” (Gail) Tigges, Middleton, WI,
Jeffrey “Jeff” (Cathy) Tigges, Dubuque, IA
and Jacqueline “Jackie” (Tim) Kruser, Cedar Rapids, IA;

a special granddaughter,
Ashley Tigges, with whom he spent a great deal of quality time, along with her dog, Cali;

his 6 grandchildren,

his 6 great-grandchildren,

his sister,
Anna Mae Wimer, Dubuque, IA;

and his special love,
Marilyn VanOstrand, East Dubuque, IL.

Ralph was preceded in death by his loving parents; his wife, Carol J. Tigges; a son, Craig Tigges; a daughter, Becky Jo Tigges; 4 sisters, Arnelda Dress, Mildred Duggan, Marge Keenan and Eileen Pierce; and 3 brothers, Robert, Eldon and Cletus.

Our family would like to give a very special thank you to our brother, Jeff, and his daughter, Ashley, for providing the extra daily love, comfort and support required so Ralph could enjoy life in his home over the last several years.  Marilyn also became a very close friend and spent quality time with Ralph and was an extension to our family.  Your kindness is beyond words.  Ralph’s family would also like to give special thanks to the very kind staff at Mercy Medical Center during his stay.

The family will thankfully receive your support through phone calls, greeting cards and memorials in Ralph’s memory which may be mailed to Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Attn. Ralph Tigges Family.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.behrfuneralhome.com

Michael P. Ahern

Michael P. “Mike” Ahern, age 56, of Dubuque, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, January 21, 2021, at his home.  To celebrate Mike’s life, family and friends may visit from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., on Monday, January 25, 2021, at Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street.  Due to COVID-19 concerns, the number of people inside the building will be limited, all who attend will be required to wear a face covering, and are asked to please maintain social distancing practices.  To honor Mike’s life, funeral services will be held immediately following the visitation at 6:00 p.m., on Monday at Behr Funeral Home at 6:00 p.m., with Deacon John Stierman officiating.

Mike was born on October 9, 1964, in Dubuque, Iowa, son of Lawrence and Patricia (Williams) Ahern.

Mike married the love of his life, Jennifer Hochberger on September 6, 2003.  He had a zest for life and always needed to stay busy.  Mike loved to work and developed that strong work ethic on his aunt and uncle’s farm as a young boy.  He has worked as a floor installer for the past 19 years and was a perfectionist down to the most minor detail.  Mike was also handy in all areas of construction and when he wasn’t working, he was helping out his family and friends with home improvement projects.  He also had a big heart and was always very generous.  Mike enjoyed playing with his puppy, Javy, watching crime shows and cooking for his family and friends.  He loved spending time with his family, especially when it involved spoiling the kids and pets.  Mike was deeply loved and will be missed by all of his family and friends.

Those left to cherish Mike’s memory include

his wife,
Jeni Ahern, Dubuque, IA;

his children,
Thomas Ahern,
Matthew Ahern
and Lyssie Ahern, all of Dubuque, IA;

his grandchildren,
Brody and Harper;

his siblings,
Pam (Rich) Lenz, Centralia, IA,
Lisa York, Selma, TX,
James Ahern, Peosta, IA
and John (Shelley) Hood, Boone, IA;

his father-in-law and mother-in-law,
Jim and Lynn Hochberger, Dubuque, IA;

a brother-in-law,
Joe Hochberger, Dubuque, IA;

and his nieces and nephew,
Lindsey Hobbs, Kristen Hobbs, Kelly (Jamie) Kruser, Mackenzie Lenz, Lucas Lenz.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.

The family will thankfully receive your support through phone calls, greeting cards and memorials in Mike’s memory which may be mailed to Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Attn. Mike Ahern Family.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.behrfuneralhome.com

Rev. John R. Tilp

Reverend John R. Tilp, 78, of Dubuque, died Thursday morning, January 21, 2021, at Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque from Parkinsons with Lewy Body.

Visitation will be from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm Sunday, January 24, 2021, at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home & Cremation Service 3860 Asbury Road. Please respect our current social distancing requirements. If you are not feeling well or are unable to attend, we encourage you to visit www.hskfhcares.com to send a message to Father John’s family.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Father John will be 11:00 am Monday, January 25, 2021, at Holy Spirit Parish – Sacred Heart Catholic Church con-celebrated by Archbishop Michael Jackels and Father John Gossman and priests of the Archdiocese of Dubuque.  Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Dubuque. The mass will be live streamed on Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home’s Facebook page and will also be available to view later at www.hskfhcares.com.

John was born April 9, 1942, in Dubuque, the second son of Joseph Francis and Eileen Frances Tilp.

In grade school, he worked at Sacred Heart Parish Bowling Lane setting pins, and also painted classrooms and cleaned the church on Saturday mornings. In high school, he worked at Loras College doing grounds work and at F.W. Woolworth.

Father Tilp graduated from Wahlert High School and Loras College in Dubuque and completed his theological studies at Mount St. Bernard Seminary, also in Dubuque.

He was ordained May 24, 1969 at St. Raphael Cathedral in Dubuque by Archbishop James J. Byrne.

He served as associate pastor of St. Joseph’s, Waterloo from 1968-69; St. Ludmila’s, Cedar Rapids, from 1969-70; St. Anthony’s, Dubuque, from 1970-74; and St. Jude’s Cedar Rapids, from 1974-80.

He served in team ministry at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and Catholic Student Center in Ames, 1980-87, and as pastor of St. Mark’s in Iowa Falls, 1987-91.

He served as pastor of Immaculate Conception in Clutier, St. Paul’s in Traer and St. Mary’s in Vining, 1994-2006 (St. Mary’s, Vining, was closed in 2002). He was pastor of St. Joseph’s, Dysart, 2001-2006.

He was pastor of St. Patrick’s, Clear Lake, from 2006 until his retirement in 2012. Father Tilp, along with his classmate Father Droessler, attended a celebration at Loras College May 13, 2019 for priests celebrating their jubilees.

Survivors include two brothers, Joseph Tilp of Dubuque, and Kenneth J. Tilp of Grosse Isle, MI; two sisters, Sandra (Donald) Koopmann of Peosta, and Kim Tilp of Dubuque; many nieces and nephews, and his little girl, Deaconess the feline.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Kathryn Ludovissy, and one sister-in-law, Mary Tilp.

A heartfelt thank you to Stonehill Care Center and Hospice of Dubuque for their loving care and support.

Memorials have been established for Holy Spirit Parish – Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Parkinsons Research Foundation.

Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home and Cremation Service is in care of the arrangements.

A photo tribute can be viewed and condolences sent to the family by visiting Father John’s obituary at www.hskfhcares.com.

Shirley A. Winter

Shirley A. Winter, 88, of Galena, IL passed away on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at Galena Stauss Senior Care Community.

Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 25, 2021 at the Miller Funeral Home in East Dubuque.  Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery in Galena.

Visitation will be from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, facemasks and social distancing are required and occupancy regulations will be enforced.

She was born November 7, 1932 in Dubuque, IA the daughter of Clarence and Alberta “Dolly” (Miller) White.  She graduated from Galena High School.  She was united in marriage to Verle Winter on February 19, 1955 in Galena.  He passed away on September 2, 2005.

Shirley worked many jobs throughout her life at Burgess Battery Factory, ran the County Poor Farm, worked at the East Side Grocery and in 1969 she started at Grant’s Home Historical Sites as Assistant Site Superintendent, retiring in 1997.  After retiring, she worked at Happy Joe’s for several years.

Her family was her world and the world was her family.  She welcomed everyone to her home and no one ever left hungry.  Shirley was everyone’s “Grandma Shirley.”  She loved and treated them all the same whether it was her famous cut out sugar cookies for various holidays, hot cross buns at Easter (which no one is able to duplicate), cream cheese mints and potato salads for weddings, pasty or kraut and pork hocks with homemade bread, or peanut butter balls at Christmas.  A summer wasn’t complete without a picnic of ham salad sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies after the 4-H show.  Her basement was always stocked with jars of homemade pickles and canned tomatoes and canned beef.

Shirley also made beautiful cross-stitched quilts for each child, grandchild, and great grandchild.  There were many trips taken, including the yearly shopping trip to Clinton with the girls, stopping in Thompson for melons on the way home.  She also enjoyed the bus trips with LaVonne from the bank.

There are many memories special times spent with our “extended” family of the 630^th engineers.  The trips to Branson and many reunions across the country, the favorite being when Shirley would host it at her house.

Shirley is survived by two sons, Terry “Jake” (Gail) and Ron (Linda), both of Galena, five grandchildren, Kim Winter of Galena, Lynn (Andrew) Houy of Galena, Anna (Chad) Muntz of Dubuque, Kari (Justin) McMartin of Dennison, MN, and Nick (Sondra) Winter of Metamora, IL, ten great grandchildren, Aly, Will, Tyson, Royce, Drew, Arya, Cameron, Lachlan, Avery, and Ryan, also a special “son”, Bill Allen.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, husband Verle, brothers Don, Junior, Billy, sister Nancy, and great grandson Owen Scharpf.

Special thanks to all staff of Galena Stauss Assisted Living and Senior Care Community, especially Gwen and Angie, and also Dr. Beth for her compassionate care of Shirley.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.millerfhed.com.©

William P. Downs

William Paul Downs went home to be with his Lord on January 19, 2021.

A private family visitation was held and a memorial service will be at a later date.

William was born on March 30, 1929 in Marshalltown, Iowa. He was the youngest child of Earl and Clara Downs of Montour. Bill, as he liked to be called, had an older sister, Lucille, and two older brothers, Gordon and Jerry. The family had a farm on the edge of town so there were always chores to do. His mother ran the family dairy and Bill helped her deliver milk to the inhabitants of Montour. He also had a paper route that supplied spending money, which was good because Bill grew up during the Great Depression.

He went to school in Montour and by his own admission was, at best, an average student. The fact that he would sometimes play “hooky” to go fishing in the nearby Iowa River probably didn’t help matters much. Still, he was active in extracurricular activities including playing in the high school band and participating in baseball and basketball. It seems that he excelled in basketball, because his team made it to the state tournament.

It was at school that he met the love of his life, Ruth Hamiel, who had recently moved from Upper Michigan after the death of her mother. Bill and Ruth hit it off and dated for many years before marrying in 1948.

Bill was drafted during the Korean War, but was sent to Germany to serve with the occupation forces which patrolled Europe following WWII. Tensions were high at that time and he was quite sure that he would eventually be involved in a war with Russia, but mercifully it never happened. After his tour of duty he returned to the States to resume civilian life.

Bill had worked on the railroad since he was 16, so he once again found work with the Milwaukee Road after leaving the Army. Eventually good jobs with the railroad began to peter out so he relocated to Dubuque after landing a job with John Deere. He would spend the remainder of his working years at Deere’s, retiring in 1988.

He and Ruth had bought a beautiful farm near Balltown in 1965 where they would live for over 50 years.

The couple had two sons, Steven Earl born in 1955 and Paul Allan born in 1959.

In 1973 Bill surrendered his life to Jesus Christ and lived the remainder of his years as a committed Christian.

He and Ruth were very active in whatever church they were attending and both their sons participated in ministry related activities.

Bill loved road trips. Family vacations normally consisted of jumping in the car and driving somewhere far, far away. Usually the family camped out on these adventures. Later in life when the boys had left home, Bill and Ruth continued traveling all over the country. They even fulfilled one of Bill’s lifelong dreams when they drove the Alaskan Highway in their pickup camper.

Bill also loved the river and had numerous boats of varying descriptions over the years. Fishing and camping out on the islands was one of his favorite pastimes.

Bill was crazy about gardening. In fact, it was one of the principal reasons he bought the farm. Even when living in the trailer court in Sageville he had rented a plot of ground for a garden, but when he finally had land of his own he sort of went wild with gardens. At one point he had 5 different garden plots under cultivation. The result of all this unbridled agricultural enterprise was that he had far more produce than could be consumed by the family. Consequently, it was common for Bill and Ruth to give away vast quantities of top rate sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, squash, or whatever else happened to be ripening in their gardens.

By his own admission, Bill had a wonderful life, but after Ruth died in 2017 he was ready and anxious to join her in Heaven. His passing was a joyous event and any tears were only occasioned by the realization that he would no longer be with us.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 69 years, all of his siblings, his son, Paul, and one granddaughter, Melody. He is survived by his son Steven, 12 grandchildren: Jack, Sarajane, David, Daniel, Tommy, Harmony, Bonnie, Joy, William, Grace, Faith, and Andrew, and 9 great-grandchildren: Ella, Ava, Olivia, Abigail, Emily, Elias, Willow, Hope, and Hallelujah.

Bill’s family would like to thank the Nurses and Staff of Hospice of Dubuque for their compassionate care for Bill and his family and for the help and kindness of their close friends, Jeff and Cheryl Chiott.

The family will thankfully receive your support through phone calls, greeting cards and memorials in his memory which may be mailed to Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Attn. William “Bill” Downs Family.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.behrfuneralhome.com

Gary Till

Gary Till, 70, of Andrew, Iowa, passed away on Monday morning, January 18, 2021, at his home.

Cremation rights have been accorded. There is no visitation, but a private memorial service will be held at a later date.

Gary was born on March 2, 1950 in Bellevue, Iowa, to Elmer John and Marjorie Mae (Sommers) Till. He attended country school in early years in Jackson County, and he was a graduate of Andrew Community School. Gary was raised on a farm in rural Bellevue but has been a resident of Andrew for approximately 20 years.

Gary worked at International Paper in Clinton for 20+ years, Conlon Construction in Dubuque for a short time, and as the head bartender at the Dubuque Golf & County Club for approximately 20 years.

Gary enjoyed playing golf, socializing with his friends, and working on projects around the house. He loved watching Iowa Hawkeye games, especially basketball. His favorite TV show was The Walking Dead, and he enjoyed watching Jeopardy with his son-in-law, Tom. He enjoyed collecting coins and unique currency, which was a hobby that he also shared with his daughter, Tiffany. Gary loved animals, and he always looked forward to spending time with his granddog, Wrigley. He also looked forward to spending time with family and friends at his annual “Oyster Fest.”

Those left to honor his memory include his children, Tiffany (Tom) Cunningham of West Palm Beach, Florida, Clint Till of Clinton, Iowa, Michelle (Jeremy) Budde of Preston, Iowa, and Chad Till; brothers, Denny (Kathy) Till of Andrew, Iowa, and Marty Till (Daisy Vandever) of Bellevue, Iowa; sisters, Janet Keil (Paul Sieverding) of Bellevue, Iowa, Patricia Bousselot of Lincoln, Nebraska, Kristi (Dennis) Flenker of Maquoketa, Iowa, and Amy (Kevin) Daly of Pembroke, Massachusetts; and brother-in-law, Ken Formanek of Des Moines, Iowa.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Richard “Dick” Till, and a sister Brenda Formanek.

The Carson Celebration of Life Center in Maquoketa is caring for the family. Please feel free to call or stop at the funeral home with notes of support or leave words of comfort on the funeral home website at www.CarsonAndSon.com.

Barbara L. Hackbarth

Barbara L. Hackbarth, 81, of Grand Meadows, formerly of 950 Valentine Drive, passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home on Wednesday, January 20, 2021.

Private family services will be held. Burial will be in Linwood Cemetery. Funeral services will be livestreamed on the Grand View United Methodist webpage, http://www.grandviewdubuque.org/ at 10:30 am, Saturday, January 23. The Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 JFK Road is assisting the family.

Barbara was born on June 20, 1939 in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, the daughter of Guy and Helen (Morey) Stock. She married Donald Hackbarth on May 2, 1964 in Farley, Iowa; he preceded her in death on August 31, 2011. Together their families were combined, plus one. Barbara was a hard-working mother of seven.

She was proud to be one of the original women hired at John Deere Dubuque Works in 1972. She was a member of the UAW Local 94 and served on many committees and boards. When she was laid off from John Deere Barbara drove to and from Davenport for 18 months to work at the Silvis Foundry. She was granted John Deere Mentor of the Year for her efforts in mentoring children at Sageville Elementary School. Barbara earned her Real Estate License after her first time completing the exam. She worked at American Realty.

While raising her family she completed her high school education. Barbara graduated from Dubuque Senior High School with her children in attendance. She continued her education at Clarke College.

Barbara was a member of Grand View United Methodist Church for over 50 years. She taught Sunday School and was involved in various church activities.

Barbara had a passion for writing. She had many writings published in Julien’s Journal.

She enjoyed bowling, vacations with her family and staying active. She took swimming lessons later in life to keep up with kids and grandkids.

Our hearts are full today. We thank God for the great privilege of having her as mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, sister-in-law and friend. She was so loved and will be missed by many.

She is survived by her children, Sandra (Phil) Perry, Marty (Nancy) McNamer, Angie McNamer, Terry (Connie) Hackbarth, all of Dubuque; Christopher (Sue) Bobst, Jason (Christine) Bobst, of Johnson, IA and Waylen (Lorraine) Hackbarth, of Dubuque; 23 grandchildren; 15 great- grandchildren; siblings, Donald Stock, Allen (Marcia) Stock, Jim (Nancy) Stock, Imogene Thill, Lu Ann Stock, Lucy Leib, and Rose Merfeld.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; grandson, Joey McNamer; and siblings, Clifford Stock, Elaine Hines, and Fulton Stock.

A Barbara Hackbarth Memorial Fund has been established where donations will be distributed to her favorite charities.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Hospice of Dubuque.

Shirley A. (Rank) Schute

Shirley A. (Rank) Schute, age 83, of Dubuque, passed away at 6:43 p.m., on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at UnityPoint Health Finley Hospital due to complications from COVID-19. To celebrate Shirley’s life, family and friends may visit from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, January 23, 2021, at Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street. Due to COVID-19 concerns the number of people inside the building will be limited, all who attend will be required to wear a face covering, and are asked to please maintain social distancing practices. To honor Shirley’s life, funeral services will be held immediately following the visitation at 10:30 a.m., on Saturday at Holy Trinity Church, 1701 Rhomberg Avenue, with Rev. Mark Kwenin officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.

Shirley was born on December 22, 1937, in Dubuque, Iowa, daughter of Raymond W. and Pearl Mary (Hedrick) Rank.

Shirley graduated from Dubuque Senior High School, Class of 1956. She went to work at Dubuque Stamping and Manufacturing and the Dubuque Packing Company before she married. On November 26, 1959, she was united in marriage to Robert “Sam” Schute at Holy Trinity Church. They were blessed with 4 children, and 54 years of wedded bliss, before he sadly passed away on December 28, 2013. After they married, Shirley became a very content wife, homemaker and full time mom until the children were raised. In 1982, Shirley and Sam bought the Rhomberg Dairy Queen, and would run it with the help of their family, until the end of the season in 2000. She truly loved her work there and all of the staff that came and went throughout the years. When she had a little free time, Shirley enjoyed playing cards and board games with her family and trying her luck at the Diamond Jo. She also enjoyed helping her daughter Connie, greeting customers as they came in to The Jewelry Box. In her younger years, Shirley and Sam liked to go dancing at Melody Mill, spending time on the river and fishing at their lake home in Clear Lake, Iowa. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

Those left to cherish Shirley memory include

her son,
Steve (Tina) Schute, Dubuque, IA;

her twin daughters,
Connie Schute, Dubuque, IA
and Christine (Daniel) Boxleiter, Dubuque, IA;

her grandchildren,
Ben, Anthony and Kimberly Boxleiter,
Alex Schute and Casey (Justin) Heim
and Amber Piper;

and her nieces and nephew.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Robert Schute; her daughter, Sandy (Rex) Piper; a brother-in-law, James (Pat) Schute; and 2 nephews.

Shirley’s family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at Finley Hospital, especially Dr. Powers and Dr. Angela Kelley, for all of the wonderful care they have provided Shirley.

The family will thankfully receive your support through phone calls, greeting cards and memorials in Shirley’s memory which may be mailed to Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Attn. Shirley Schute Family.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.behrfuneralhome.com

Frederick J. Cady

Frederick Joseph “Fred” Cady, 85, of Dubuque, IA, passed away Tuesday evening, January 19, 2021 at Ennoble Manor Care Center.

Private Family Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 23, 2021 at the Miller Funeral Home in East Dubuque, with Fr. Peter Snieg officiating. Burial will be in Rockdale Cemetery, Dubuque. A walk-through Visitation will be from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Friday at the Miller Funeral Home in East Dubuque. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, facemasks are required, social distancing must be observed, and occupancy restrictions will be enforced.

Fred was born on May 5, 1935 in Dubuque, the son of Albert E. and Dorothy M. (Bertsch) Cady. He was united in marriage to Judith Abresch on March 10, 1961 in Galena, IL. She preceded him in death on March 17, 2003.

Fred was employed at the former Dubuque Packing Company and FDL Foods until his retirement. He was a former member of Local # 150-A of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters Union.

He loved hunting, fishing, reading his Bible and tending to his garden. He could seldom be seen without a cup of coffee in his hand.

Surviving are his eight children, Joe (Donna) Cady, Dean (Lori) Cady, Pamela (Wayne) Wolf, Iva (Jim) Theisen, Marlene (Walt) Donath, Matthew (Amy) Cady, Heather (Crystal) Sand and Angela (Andy) Hoppman; 21-grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren; his siblings, John (Penny) Cady of Milan, IL and Marlene Baumgartner of Dubuque; and his sister-in-law Karen Herman.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Dorothy; his twins sons, George H. and Frederick J. Cady in infancy; his siblings, Earl Cady, Sally Alber, Priscilla Bartella, Gloria Jacobs, Imelda Meyers and Elwyn Cady.

Fred’s family wishes to thank the nurses and staff at Ennoble Manor for their care and kindness shown to their father and grandfather.

Natalie S. Hayes

Natalie Sue Hayes, 31 of Dubuque passed away unexpectedly on January 18, 2021 at MercyOne Medical Center.

Due to COVID-19, Mass of Christian Burial for family and close friends will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 23rd, 2021 at St. Joseph Key West Church with Rev. Rodney Allers officiating. Others may view the funeral mass on Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory’s Facebook page or the church website www.stjosephkeywest.com. Burial will follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery. A public visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday, January 22nd, 2021 at Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road where a wake service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Please remember to social distance and mask are required.

Natalie was born in Dubuque, IA on December 21, 1989 and lived in the Dubuque area all her life. After graduating from Hempstead, she took classes at NICC and UNI. She worked at Platinum and most recently at Dupaco. She worked many years at Hy-Vee in the Pharmacy. She made many friendships with her coworkers over the years. Natalie enjoyed spending time with her friends and family, especially attending her nieces’ and nephews’ activities.

Natalie is survived by her parents; Larry and Judy (Trumm) Hayes of Peosta; her sisters Molly Bahl (Justin) of Bernard, Emily Schmerbach (Nick) of Dubuque; nieces Lillian and Cecilia; nephews Joey, Calvin, Brooks and Bryce and special friend Orlando Soza-Rubio.

Natalie was preceded in death by grandparents Herbert and Mary Louis Hayes and Robert Trumm.

In lieu of flowers a Natalie Hayes memorial fund will be established.

The family would like to thank the off duty paramedic, Dubuque Fire & EMS and MercyOne Emergency Department Staff.

John F. Streets

John F. Streets, 83, of Centerville, Iowa, and formerly of Maquoketa, Iowa, passed away on Sunday evening, January 17, 2021, at Mercy One Medical Center in Centerville, Iowa.

A private family funeral service will be held.  There is no visitation.  Burial will be at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery in Bellevue, Iowa.  The Carson Celebrationo of Life Center in Maquoketa is caring for the family.

John Franklin Streets was born on March 1, 1937 in Maquoketa, Iowa, to Raymond Kenneth and Glendola Bell (Sagers) Streets.  He was a 1955 graduate of Maquoketa High School.  He married Lois Marie Goepfert on February 23, 1957 in Bellevue, Iowa.

John farmed the family family in the rural Maquoketa area for over 25 years.  He then worked for Wendling Quarries until retirement.

John enjoyed carving, fishing, driving John Deere tractors, and spending time with his family.

Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Lois Streets; a daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Lorin Haxmeier; 3 grandchildren, Joshua (Jaquil) Streets, Jessie Streets and Amanda Haxmeier; 4 great-grandchildren, Ava, Delaney, Jorja and Parker; a sister, Jeanne Brown; and a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Donald and Karen Goepfert.  He was preceded in death by his parents, a son David Streets on December 2, 1989, a sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Richard Palmer, brother-in-law Maynard Brown, and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Arlene and Earl Reeves.

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

Elizabeth A. Walser

Elizabeth A. “Betty” Walser, 85, of Dubuque, passed away Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at Luther Manor Grand Meadows.
Private family services were held at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 John F. Kennedy Rd. Interment was at High View Cemetery, Epworth. Condolences and memories may be shared at www.egelhofsiegertcasper.com. The funeral service will be livestreamed at 10:30 am, Thursday, January 21 on the Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory’s Facebook page.

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Barbara A. Boettcher

Barbara A. Boettcher, 81, of Dubuque, died Monday, January 18, 2021, at the Dubuque Specialty Care.

Visitation will be from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM Thursday January 21, 2021, at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home & Cremation Service 3860 Asbury Road. Please respect our current social distancing requirements. If you are not feeling well or are unable to attend, we encourage you to visit www.hskfhcares.com to send a message to Barbara’s family. The Funeral Service for Barbara will be 10:00 AM Friday, January 22, 2021, at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home & Cremation Service with Pastor Curt Joseph officiating. Burial will be in Bellevue Presbyterian Cemetery in Bellevue. The service will be live streamed on Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home’s Facebook page and will also be available to view later at www.hskfhcares.com.

Barbara was born October 3, 1939, in Dubuque, the daughter of William and Florence Patch Ahlers. On September 6, 1958, she married Thomas Boettcher at First Congregational Church in Dubuque. He died on July 16, 1986.

She was an elementary school secretary for the Dubuque School District for more than 25 years.

Survivors include her daughter, Cory (Dave) Matejka of Cedar Rapids; one grandson, Michael (Myra) Matejka of Cedar Rapids; one granddaughter, Nichole (Billy) Vogl of Cedar Rapids; great-grandchildren, Connor Klein, Logan Klein, Brennen Klein, Ayla Matejka, Bennett Vogl, Sienna Vogl; two sisters, Janice (Bill) Sonnenberg of Dubuque and Mary Beth (Steve) Baker of Noblesville, IN.

Besides her husband she was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. William H. Ahlers and his wife, Estelle ‘Stell’ and a brother William H. Ahlers.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the American Cancer Society.

A special thank you to Dubuque Specialty Care for their love and support.

Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home and Cremation Service is in care of the arrangements.

Condolences sent to the family by visiting Barbara’s obituary at www.hskfhcares.com.

William J. Millman

William J. “Bill” Millman, 80 of Dubuque, Iowa passed away on January 17, 2021 with family by his side.

Private family burial service will be at Mount Calvary Cemetery Chapel with Rev. Steven Garner officiating. A live stream of the funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 21, 2021 on Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory’s Facebook page.

Bill was born on May 22, 1940 in Springbrook, Iowa the son of Oscar and Mildred (Ties) Millman and his special aunt Veronica Rhomberg.

He attended St. Joseph Marquette School in Bellevue, Iowa and married Norene Story on November 27, 1958 at St. Mary’s in Dubuque, IA. He worked for the former Dubuque Packing Company and was a member of the Moose Lodge in Dubuque.

Bill loved his family and friends. He was an avid Dodger and Green Bay Packer fan; he enjoyed gardening, hunting, the Diamond Jo Casino, playing euchre, helping out others and having a few beers with family and friends.

He is survived by his wife Norene; children Wanda Simpson, Dora Huseman, Norman (Angie) Millman and Midge Fiasco; daughter-in-law Dawn Millman. Three brothers Wayne (Lynn) Millman, Harold (Sandy) Millman and Leon (Shirley) Millman. Grandchildren Billy (Teresa), Brooke (Jeff), Adam, Andrew (Rachel), Alex, Hunter and Tanner; great grandchildren Seth, Carter, Violet, Mira and Addelyn; sister-in-law Anita & Jerry Pliser; many nieces and nephews

He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Randy Millman.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the family or Hospice of Dubuque.

The family would like to thank Hospice of Dubuque, Union Pharmacy, the Health Care Professionals and Leonard Funeral Home for all their care and kindness, a special thank you to all of Bill’s family and friends for all their love and friendship over the years.