Viola Clara Tschirgi, 87, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Sunday, February 11, 2024, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa. The family will greet friends from 4 - 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 15, 2024, at Murdoch Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Marion. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 16, 2024, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton Catholic Church in Hiawatha with an additional visitation beginning at 10 a.m. Inurnment will take place at a later date at St. Joseph Cemetery in Elkader, Iowa.
Viola was born on April 22, 1936, in Guttenberg, Iowa, the daughter of Aloysius and Sylveria (Harter) Goedken. She was a graduate of Lamont High School in Lamont, Iowa. In 1957, she was united in marriage to Karl Albert Tschirgi at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Lamont. He died in July of 2000.
Viola was a loving mother to three daughters, Patti, Barb, and Jean. She truly enjoyed being involved in her daughter’s lives. She was a leader and heavily involved in Brownies, Girl Scouts, and 4-H with her three girls. She taught her daughters to sew, cook, and other life skills. She also enjoyed, cards, knitting, crocheting, reading, making crafts for St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (Elkader) crafters group, socializing with her many friends, and especially seeing her grandkids and great grandkids.
Those left to cherish her memory are her three children, Patti (Dave) Sampson, Barb (Doug) Miller, Jean (Randy) Erb, all of Cedar Rapids; six grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren; sister, Rose Marie Wolf of Marion; brother, Joe (Paulette) Goedken; brother-in-law, Earl McDermott of Cascade, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.
Viola was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Karl Tschirgi; siblings, Florian (Darlene) Goedken, Wilma (Herb) Burkle, Lavern Goedken (Mary McDermott), Mary Ann (Joe) Wichman; and brothers-in-law, Lynn Wolf, Verdeen, Jan, and Clair Tschirgi.
The family would like to give a special thank you to Stoney Point Meadows Memory Care for all the wonderful care and support they gave to mom.
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