Ambrose Gubbels
March 9, 1925 — January 30, 2007
Ambrose Nicholas Gubbels was born on March 9, 1925, to Peter and Clara (Bock) Gubbels on a farm near Westphalia, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Westphalia where he remained a member until 1984. Ambrose attended St. Boniface Catholic School in Westphalia. In April of 1945, Ambrose was enlisted in the United States Army and served as a surgical technician in the Asian Pacific Theater, earning several ribbons and medals before his discharge in December of 1946. He then started farming.
In 1953, he was united in marriage to Rita Goeser. Six children were born to this union: Kathy, Jean, Charlene, Brian, Bob, and Scott. Ambrose farmed near Westphalia until he retired in 1984, when he moved to Harlan. He became a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan and remained a member there for twenty-three years. After his retirement, he worked for Farm Service Co-Op in Defiance and at Hy-Vee in Harlan. He was great at those jobs because he wasn’t afraid to strike up a conversation with a stranger and leave having made a new friend.
Ambrose was a past member of the Defiance American Legion as well as a current member of the Harlan American Legion. He served on the parish council and as a parish trustee in Westphalia, on the Westphalia and Defiance school boards, Westphalia Co-Op Board of Directors, and the Westphalia Volunteer Fire Department.
Ambrose was a man of great faith and prayer. He truly appreciated his family and loved to tease his grandchildren and tell them stories. Ambrose spent close to nine years on dialysis, even though lasting five years was considered beating the odds. Ambrose and his wife remained together for better or worse, in sickness and health for fifty-three years before he died at Creighton University Medical Center on January 30, 2007, having attained the age of eighty-one years, ten months, and twenty-one days. He always enjoyed buying lottery tickets knowing that one day he would win the "big one". He has finally got the ultimate prize ~ Eternal rest in heaven.
Ambrose was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers. He is survived by his wife Rita of Harlan, his children, Kathy and husband Will Schafer of Panama, Jean and husband Jim Keane of Panama, Charlene and husband Dan Lefeber of Portsmouth, Brian and wife Pam Gubbels of Harlan, Bob and wife Jodi Gubbels of Defiance, Scott and wife Dianne Gubbels of Council Bluffs, Iowa; sister-in-law Catherine Gubbels of Harlan, one brother Cyril and wife Therese Gubbels of Council Bluffs, sisters: Sabina and husband Eldred Conrad of Harlan, Sylvia Goeser of Westphalia, Virginia and husband Cletus Lickteig of Denison, Helen and husband Dwight Wubbenhorst of Mesa, Arizona, and Mary Ann and husband Francis Koesters of Earling, Iowa; twelve grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other family members, and many friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Friday, February 2, 2007, with Rev. Bob Hoefler officiating the 11:00 AM service. Casket bearers were Paul Keane, Ryan Lefeber, Matt Gubbels, Craig Gubbels, Cletus Gubbels, Bruce Goeser, Jeremy Kruse, and Bob Lickteig. The Harlan American Legion Helmer Reyelt Post No. 150 provided military rites at the interment at St. Boniface Cemetery in Westphalia.
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In 1953, he was united in marriage to Rita Goeser. Six children were born to this union: Kathy, Jean, Charlene, Brian, Bob, and Scott. Ambrose farmed near Westphalia until he retired in 1984, when he moved to Harlan. He became a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan and remained a member there for twenty-three years. After his retirement, he worked for Farm Service Co-Op in Defiance and at Hy-Vee in Harlan. He was great at those jobs because he wasn’t afraid to strike up a conversation with a stranger and leave having made a new friend.
Ambrose was a past member of the Defiance American Legion as well as a current member of the Harlan American Legion. He served on the parish council and as a parish trustee in Westphalia, on the Westphalia and Defiance school boards, Westphalia Co-Op Board of Directors, and the Westphalia Volunteer Fire Department.
Ambrose was a man of great faith and prayer. He truly appreciated his family and loved to tease his grandchildren and tell them stories. Ambrose spent close to nine years on dialysis, even though lasting five years was considered beating the odds. Ambrose and his wife remained together for better or worse, in sickness and health for fifty-three years before he died at Creighton University Medical Center on January 30, 2007, having attained the age of eighty-one years, ten months, and twenty-one days. He always enjoyed buying lottery tickets knowing that one day he would win the "big one". He has finally got the ultimate prize ~ Eternal rest in heaven.
Ambrose was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers. He is survived by his wife Rita of Harlan, his children, Kathy and husband Will Schafer of Panama, Jean and husband Jim Keane of Panama, Charlene and husband Dan Lefeber of Portsmouth, Brian and wife Pam Gubbels of Harlan, Bob and wife Jodi Gubbels of Defiance, Scott and wife Dianne Gubbels of Council Bluffs, Iowa; sister-in-law Catherine Gubbels of Harlan, one brother Cyril and wife Therese Gubbels of Council Bluffs, sisters: Sabina and husband Eldred Conrad of Harlan, Sylvia Goeser of Westphalia, Virginia and husband Cletus Lickteig of Denison, Helen and husband Dwight Wubbenhorst of Mesa, Arizona, and Mary Ann and husband Francis Koesters of Earling, Iowa; twelve grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other family members, and many friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Friday, February 2, 2007, with Rev. Bob Hoefler officiating the 11:00 AM service. Casket bearers were Paul Keane, Ryan Lefeber, Matt Gubbels, Craig Gubbels, Cletus Gubbels, Bruce Goeser, Jeremy Kruse, and Bob Lickteig. The Harlan American Legion Helmer Reyelt Post No. 150 provided military rites at the interment at St. Boniface Cemetery in Westphalia.
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