Catherine Antonia (Huinker) Moellers

Friday, July 21, 2017 4:26 pm

Catherine Antonia (Huinker) Moellers completed her 91 years of commitment to marriage and family Monday, July 17, 2017, at the Evans Memorial Home in Cresco, where she had resided for the last year and a half. Mass of Christian Burial was at 11 a.m. Monday, July 24, at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Cresco, with Father Dennis Cain officiating. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery in Cresco. Visitation was from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, July 23, at Heritage Events Center, 229 3rd Ave W, Cresco. Visitation continued an hour prior to the time of service Monday at the church. Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home assisted the family.

Catherine was born July 8, 1926, at her home in Seneca, Wis. to William and Ida (Einck) Huinker, the sixth of 14 children. She was baptized at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Seneca. Her family moved to a farm near Festina and later to a farm near Ossian. She attended school in Festina and later graduated as valedictorian at Ossian DeSales and was a power forward for the DeSales Basketball team. She attended Cedar Falls Teachers College and taught in the rural schools near Festina.

She was often seen “trucking” down the road with her neighbor boy and sweetheart, Rainey Moellers. Her neighbor boy, Rainey, proposed by asking her “will you be my cook the rest of my life?” This question began their 59 years of life and farming partnership together. Ireaneus and Catherine were married April 27, 1948, at St Francis DeSales Church in Ossian. They farmed with Rainey’s parents Felix and Margaret near Ossian until March 1951. Then they purchased a farm near Ridgeway, where they made their home until they retired in November of 1990, and built a new home in Cresco. Catherine continued to bake her kolaches and cinnamon rolls and send them out to the farm with Rainey. Her love of farming was evident up to the end of her days, as she commented on the corn tasseling on the way to the Huinker family reunion just last week.

She was active in the Altar and Rosary Society of St Joseph Church, a Circle leader, the Winneshiek Farm Bureau Ladies and the Pork Board.

Catherine not only was a great teacher, but was eager to learn anything new.
She was an inspiration in that there was nothing new that she wouldn’t try. Over the years she took many classes and learned how to paint ceramics, stitch trapunto, paint on wood, decorate cakes, crochet, knit, do woodworking, garden and quilt.

She loved the farm, tending to her chickens, turkeys, cows and pigs and her garden produce for freezing and canning. She shared her knowledge and skills as a 4-H leader many years. After her family was raised, she developed a love of quilting and purchased a long-arm quilting machine and pieced and quilted many quilts for everyone.

Each child’s family received a quilt, as well as each grandchild on their graduation from high school. As the great grandbabies arrived there was a quilt waiting for every precious addition.

Catherine loved to play cards, especially euchre, and no matter the opponent, young or old, Grandma was “in it to win it!”

She loved the farm and her family with a silent pride and a sternness that everyone understood.

She is survived by children: Karen (deceased) (John) Braden of Mason City, Ken (Deb) Moellers of Cresco, Jerry (Christine) Moellers of Ridgeway, Connie (Jim) Zahasky of Cresco, Cynthia (Neil) Grube of Cresco, Audrey (Mike) Nosbisch of Ridgeway, Janine (Bob) Sebastian of Preston, Minn., Mary (Mark) Reicks of Cresco, Kevin (Gayleen) Moellers of Ridgeway; 31 grandchildren: Jennifer (James) Dunne, Jeremy (Carrie) Braden, all of Anken; Jonathon Braden (Krystal Overmyer) of Arlington, Va.; Korey (Peggy) Moellers of Shawnee, Kan.; Jeremy (Kelly) Moellers, Ryan (Meagan) Moellers all of Cresco; Sarah (Scott) Kach of Cresco; Jessica Meyer (Mike) of Byron; Jolene (Josh) Langreck, of Minneapolis; Jennifer (John ) Fish of Waukon; Amanda (Aaron) Davis, Emily (Dustin) Kraft, Tony (Abby) Zahasky, all of Rochester, Minn.; Tressa (Ben) Gruenzner of Owatonna, Minn.; Josh (Tiffany) Grube of Buffalo, Minn.; Andy (Terri) Grube of Urbandale; Matthew (Erin) Nosbisch of Burlington; Justin (Whitney) Nosbisch of Vinton; Zach (Erica) Nosbisch of Waukon; Jason (Amanda) Ward of Brooklyn Center, Minn.; Brett (Tonya) Ward of St. Cloud, Minn.; Nicole Sebastian of Preston, Minn.; Eric (Ashley) Reicks, Bethany (Andy) Wurzer, Molly Reicks, Alexis Reicks, all of Cresco; Tye (Torie) Moellers of Ridgeway; Nessa (Luke) Stika of Cazenovia, Wis.,; Tara Moellers of Laurel; and Arley Moellers of Ridgeway. She is also survived by 57 great-grandchildren, and three on the way. Catherine is survived by her sisters, Grace Reicks of Lawler and Joann (Francis) Wenthold of Ossian; brothers Bill (Phyllis) Huinker of Postville and Tom (Joyce) Huinker of Festina; in-laws: Edna Huinker of Ossian, Alex Reicks of Lawler, Roger Moellers of Decorah Betty (Leonard) Kuboushek of Spillville and Margaret Hager of Muscatine; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ireaneus, Aug. 31, 2007; her daughter, Karen Braden, December 7, 2013; a grandson, Nathan Moellers; and a great-grandson, Chase Nosbisch; her parents; three brothers: Ralph, Charles and Donald Huinker; six sisters: Alice (Neal) Reicks, Lillian (Adrian) Hageman, Luella Reicks, Florence Huinker, Eunice (Darrell) Bushman and Ida Huinker; in-laws: Eugene Reicks, Rufus (Betty Lou) Moellers, Raphael (Esther) Moellers, Irene Moellers and Glenn Stuart.