Lucille Konz

Lucille Mildred Konz, 90, of Atlantic, Iowa passed away February 28, 2012, at Atlantic Nursing and Rehab in Atlantic, IA.

Lucille was born at Elm Creek, Nebraska, on July 25, 1921, to Joseph H. and Matilda (Buettner) Grudle. She married Michael W. Konz on April 14, 1941, at St. Peters Church in Council Bluffs, Iowa. They farmed in Mills County, Iowa, and Neola, Iowa before moving to the Wiota area in 1959. Later they farmed near Anita until 1970 when they moved to a home in Wiota. Mike passed away in 1987. Lucille continued to live in Wiota until moving to Exira in 2003. She resided in Exira until 2008 when she moved to Allen House in Atlantic. In 2009 she entered Atlantic Nursing and Rehab Center in Atlantic.
She was a farmwife and mother who loved to cook and garden. Losing her to Alzheimer's disease has been very painful for the family. It comforts us to remember her bustling around her kitchen and garden. Everything had to be spotless and weed-free. The produce she and Mike took to the Farmer's Market was scrubbed and polished to perfection. She got up early and worked hard to keep things in precise order. If she had an appointment, or was going somewhere with any of us, she would be waiting in the driveway. She couldn't understand the rest of us who were less punctual or had a more relaxed attitude. She had a bottomless pot of chili and excelled at making cookies for everyone. If you praised her cookies, or anything else she prepared, then you were guaranteed an endless supply of it when you visited.

She worked for several companies in Atlantic including Cook & Caslow Drug, Beaudine Mfg. and Service Master. Many will remember her lovely garden and the greenhouse she had at her home in Wiota. She was a member of SS Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Atlantic and Holy Trinity Church in Exira.

She is survived by her son, Larry Konz and wife Shirley, of Exira, IA; daughters, Claretta (Kay) Dressler of New Brighton, MN and Elizabeth (Betts) Daume and husband, Jon, of Marysville, OH; grandchildren, Jeff Konz and fiancée, Kate Zubko, of Asheville, NC, David Konz and wife, Charissa, of Omaha, NE, Jim Konz and wife, Kelly, of Clive, IA, Dina Westlund and husband, Mark, of Rosemont, MN, Jason Daume and wife, Arianne, of Nashville, TN and Eric Daume and wife, Jodi, of Dublin, OH; great- grandchildren, Alex and Jack Konz of Des Moines, IA, Ben and Abigail Konz of Omaha NE, Nicholas and Flora Konz of Asheville, NC, Jack, Katie and Libby Westlund of Rosemont, MN, Greyson and Jackson Daume of Nashville, TN, and Henry, Sam and Kate Daume of Dublin, OH; sister Evelyn Ring of Council Bluffs, IA; brother Joe Grudle of Spring Branch, TX; other relatives and many friends.

Visitation will be held at 6:00-8:00 p.m., Thursday, March 1, 2012, at Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic, Iowa.


A mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, March 2, 2012, at SS Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Atlantic, Iowa. Interment will be in the SS Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery in Atlantic.

A luncheon will follow the committal service at the Hockenberry Family Care community room.


Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.