Zita Engel
January 20, 1918 — February 16, 2011
Zita Engel was born on January 20, 1918 to Melchoir and Theresa (Klein) Schwery in Panama, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Panama and attended school at St. Mary�s Catholic School in Panama.
Zita was united in marriage on January 31, 1939 to Lawrence "Larry" Engel at St. Mary Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church. Four children were born to this union: Karen, Dan, Theresa, and Allita.
She helped her husband on their dairy farm in addition to raising the children. She possessed a strong work ethic, organizational skills with attention to detail, a wide variety of creative talents, and a willingness to help wherever the need arose be it at parish events or the wider community, including the Shelby County Extension Events.
She was a long-time member of the Westphalia Sewing Circle, Rosary Society, and the Shelby County State Bank Commander�s Club. She served as a member of the Parish Council, a Eucharistic Minister, and a 4-H leader. Her family was a WOWT television station Farm Family of the Week over 50 years ago.
Zita was passionate about farm life, gardening, sewing clothes for her children, quilting, needlework, and playing cards: Bridge and "500". She consistently won ribbons for her apple pies at the Shelby County Fair. She continued to live on the family farm after her husband�s death in 1975 and was able to travel world-wide with family and friends.
She died on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at Elm Crest Retirement Home in Harlan, Iowa, having attained the age of ninety-three years and twenty-seven days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, grandson Jeff, brothers: Alfred, LaVern, and Melvin, and sisters: Margaret, Viola, Magdaline, and Verena.
Zita is survived by her children: Karen and her husband Michael Mathis of Parker, Colorado, Dan Engel and his wife Janet of Bruno, Nebraska, Sister Theresa Engel SSSF of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Allita and her husband Craig Doster of Ankeny, Iowa; nine grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; four great-great grandchildren; sisters: Nonna Adams of Santa Cruz, California, Theresa Wellman of Neola, Iowa, Mildred Leuschen of Portsmouth, Iowa, and Cleo Nelson of Mercer Island, Washington; two sisters-in-law: Veralda Schwery of Harlan and Ella Mae Engel of Manilla, Iowa; other family members and friends.
Rev. John Dorton celebrated the 10:30 AM Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, February 19, 2011 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Westphalia. Concelebrating the Mass were Rev. Bob Schoemann, Rev. John Frost, and Rev. Art McCann. Serving as casket bearers were Deborah Forman, Denise Williams, Bethany Holstein, Allise Doster, John Doster, and Daniel J. Engel. Interment was held at St. Boniface Cemetery in Westphalia.
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Zita was united in marriage on January 31, 1939 to Lawrence "Larry" Engel at St. Mary Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church. Four children were born to this union: Karen, Dan, Theresa, and Allita.
She helped her husband on their dairy farm in addition to raising the children. She possessed a strong work ethic, organizational skills with attention to detail, a wide variety of creative talents, and a willingness to help wherever the need arose be it at parish events or the wider community, including the Shelby County Extension Events.
She was a long-time member of the Westphalia Sewing Circle, Rosary Society, and the Shelby County State Bank Commander�s Club. She served as a member of the Parish Council, a Eucharistic Minister, and a 4-H leader. Her family was a WOWT television station Farm Family of the Week over 50 years ago.
Zita was passionate about farm life, gardening, sewing clothes for her children, quilting, needlework, and playing cards: Bridge and "500". She consistently won ribbons for her apple pies at the Shelby County Fair. She continued to live on the family farm after her husband�s death in 1975 and was able to travel world-wide with family and friends.
She died on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at Elm Crest Retirement Home in Harlan, Iowa, having attained the age of ninety-three years and twenty-seven days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, grandson Jeff, brothers: Alfred, LaVern, and Melvin, and sisters: Margaret, Viola, Magdaline, and Verena.
Zita is survived by her children: Karen and her husband Michael Mathis of Parker, Colorado, Dan Engel and his wife Janet of Bruno, Nebraska, Sister Theresa Engel SSSF of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Allita and her husband Craig Doster of Ankeny, Iowa; nine grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; four great-great grandchildren; sisters: Nonna Adams of Santa Cruz, California, Theresa Wellman of Neola, Iowa, Mildred Leuschen of Portsmouth, Iowa, and Cleo Nelson of Mercer Island, Washington; two sisters-in-law: Veralda Schwery of Harlan and Ella Mae Engel of Manilla, Iowa; other family members and friends.
Rev. John Dorton celebrated the 10:30 AM Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, February 19, 2011 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Westphalia. Concelebrating the Mass were Rev. Bob Schoemann, Rev. John Frost, and Rev. Art McCann. Serving as casket bearers were Deborah Forman, Denise Williams, Bethany Holstein, Allise Doster, John Doster, and Daniel J. Engel. Interment was held at St. Boniface Cemetery in Westphalia.
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