Rita Vonnahme, age 86, of rural Arcadia, died Wednesday evening July 31, 2013, at her residence surrounded by her family following a brief illness.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, August 3, 2013, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Arcadia. The celebrant will be Fr. Gary Snyder. Music will be by Darlene Leiting and the St. John’s Choir. Mass Servers will be Jason Berg and Colin Johnson. Lector will be Ron Eich. Gift bearers will be Rita’s grandchildren, Tasha Bothun, Dr. Kate Pedersen, Jessica McAvoy, Dr. Rob Pedersen, Erica Vonnahme, Kayleigh Midyette, Alyssa Guthrie, and Corinna DeLost. Eucharistic ministers will be Audrey Siepker and Deb Pedersen. Casket Bearers will be Bob Pedersen, Ernie DeLost, John Guthrie, Dr. Rob Pedersen, Scott Bothun, and Travis Wilson. Burial will be at 1 p.m. at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Mt. Carmel.
Friends may call after 3:30 p.m. Friday at St. John’s Catholic Church in Arcadia where there will be a Rosary at 4 p.m. and a Christian Wake Service by St. John’s Parish at 6 p.m.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be left at the church for St. John’s Parish or the Kuemper Catholic School Foundation.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll, and online condolences may be left for Rita’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com
Mrs. Vonnahme was born on May 29, 1927, at Roselle, the daughter of Henry and Mayme (Heithoff) Behrens. She spent her younger years in the Roselle area and attended Holy Angels School. On September 6, 1949, she was united in marriage to Erwin C. Vonnahme at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Roselle. As a couple, they were engaged in farming at Arcadia. She was a member of St. John Parish, the Parish Ladies Guild, and the Arcadia Auxiliary. Mrs. Vonnahme enjoyed and dearly loved her family, and also enjoyed baking, playing cards, embroidery, quilting, gardening, and having coffee with friends and relatives.
She is survived by her children, Dr. Robert Vonnahme and his wife Janice of Manning, Deborah Pedersen and her husband Robert of Dunlap, Illinois, John Vonnahme and his wife Kathy of Adel, Jane Guthrie and her husband John of San Ramon, California, and Connie DeLost and her husband Ernie of San Diego, California; her daughter-in-law Judy Vonnahme of Des Moines; eight grandchildren: Natasha (Scott) Bothun, Dr. Katrina (Travis Wilson) Pedersen, Jessica (Ryan) McAvoy, Dr. Robert D. Pedersen, Erica Vonnahme, Kayleigh (Christopher) Midyette, Alyssa Guthrie, Corinna DeLost; four great grandchildren; a sister Florine Eich of Carroll; brothers Donald Behrens and his wife Arlene of Carroll, and James Behrens and his wife Margaret of Carroll; and sisters-in-law, Virgene Behrens of Carroll, Delores Vonnahme of Carroll, and Celie Vonnahme of Auburn; as well as many extended relatives.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Erwin; her youngest son, Daniel Vonnahme; her parents; father and mother-in-law Henry and Sophie Vonnahme; brothers: Robert, Virgil, and Harry Behrens; sister Marie Siepker; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Behrens, Louise Behrens, Bertha Vonnahme, Margaret Wieland, Gertrude Wieland, Rita Nepple, Teresa Kasparbauer, and Caroline Vonnahme; brothers-in-law Ed Siepker, Harold Eich, Fred Vonnahme, Carl Vonnahme, Ferdinand Vonnahme, Raymond Vonnahme, Clarence Vonnahme, Al Nepple, Art Wieland, Norbert Wieland, and Paul Kasparbauer.
