Obituary for Marina B Lehmann (Stecklein)
Marina B. (Stecklein) Lehmann, 88 of Dubuque, Iowa, formerly of Farley, Iowa passed away peacefully on December 20, 2019 at Eagle Pointe Place, Dubuque. She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer L. Lehmann (June 24, 2000).
Visitation will be from 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm on Sunday, December 22, 2019 at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 John F Kennedy Road in Dubuque. At 3:30 p.m. a brief prayer service will be held by the Farley Unit 656 American Legion Auxiliary. At 7:00 p.m. the parish wake service will take place. Friends may also call Monday from 8:45 am – 9:30 am at the funeral home.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Monday, December 23, 2019 at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Dubuque, Iowa. Rev. Steven Rosonke will officiate. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery in Farley, Iowa.
Marina was born on April 21,1931 in Sherrill, Iowa, daughter of Rupert Edmund and Martina Mary (Kurt) Stecklein. She grew up in rural Cascade, Iowa, and graduated from St. Mary High School in 1949. She married her sweetheart, Elmer Lehmann, on May 12, 1953 at St. Mary Catholic Church, Cascade.
She and her husband, Elmer, farmed in rural Farley for more than 40 years. While raising her four children, Marina was a volunteer representative for Youth for Understanding (YFU), a foreign exchange student organization. She and Elmer hosted many international students during their life on the farm and traveled to visit some of those students in Sweden and Brazil. For more than 40 years, Marina baked and decorated cakes for weddings, birthdays, and special occasions. It has been said, “You know you’re from Farley if Marina Lehmann made your wedding cake.”
Marina and Elmer met at a dance in Cascade, Iowa; during their 47 years of marriage they enjoyed time on the dance floor, dancing to “Elmer’s Tune” and other favorites. They enjoyed watching the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs games together; Marina remained an avid fan of both.
Marina said her greatest accomplishment in life was her family. She delighted in the company of her four children and their families, including nine grandchildren, and two great grandchildren (who called her “GG”). She proudly attended their school events, made special cakes for their birthdays and other celebrations, and supported them throughout their lives. Marina’s philosophy was “Life is what you make of it”. She was a shining example of this adage, always seeing the positive aspects of any situation in life.
She had a strong faith and trust in God, praying the Rosary daily since her teenage years. She was a loyal and active parishioner of St. Joseph Parish in Farley, Iowa where she was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society and served as a Eucharistic Minister. She was a 50-year member of the American Legion Auxiliary. When Marina and Elmer moved to Dubuque in1998, she became a member of St. Anthony Parish in Dubuque, Iowa and served as a Eucharistic Minister.
Surviving are her son, Anthony (Cathleen) Lehmann, of Dubuque; three daughters, Kathy Lehmann (Dave Young), of North Springfield, VA, Lisa (Ron) Barnett, of Ames, IA, and Gail (Joseph) McMahon, of Dubuque; nine grandchildren, Sarah (Wes) Pilkington, Michael Lehmann, John (Kelly) Lehmann, Anne Lehmann, Lauren Barnett, and Travis, Martina, Audra, and Micah McMahon; two great grandchildren, Jacob & Ryan Pilkington.
Other survivors include her siblings, Roland “Rollie” (Theresa) Stecklein and Shirley (Gene) Hoffmann of Cascade, IA, Judith (Alan) Westhoff of Portland, OR, and Edmund (Shirley) Stecklein of Monticello, IA; brothers and sisters-in-law Barbara Stecklein of Cascade, IA, Marian Stecklein of Bellevue, IA, Jim Goblirsch of Sleepy Eye, MN, Sr. Mary Lois Lehmann, PBVM, of Dubuque, Florence Jaeger of Holy Cross, IA, Wilma Hogan of Worthington, IA, Ruth McMahon of Manchester, IA, Margaret Lehmann of Farley, IA and Joanne Lehmann of Dubuque, IA.
Marina was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters, Mary Eileen Stecklein, Madonna Otting-Tucker, and Elizabeth Jane “Janie” Goblirsch, brothers Clement Stecklein and Lloyd “Bowdy” Stecklein, father and mother-in-law, Anton and Frances Lehmann, brothers and sisters-in-law Wilbur “Bill” Otting, Lavern “Roger” Tucker, Clarence and Verla Lehmann, Merlin Jaeger, William and Anna Mae Lehmann, Bill Hogan, and Joe McMahon.
Thank you to Dr. Ron Schope, Dr. Tom Schreiber and medical teams for all they did for Marina. The family is also grateful for the care and compassion provided by the staff of Eagle Pointe Place. Finally, special thanks to Helen Thielen, her BFF of many years.
Visitation will be from 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm on Sunday, December 22, 2019 at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 John F Kennedy Road in Dubuque. At 3:30 p.m. a brief prayer service will be held by the Farley Unit 656 American Legion Auxiliary. At 7:00 p.m. the parish wake service will take place. Friends may also call Monday from 8:45 am – 9:30 am at the funeral home.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Monday, December 23, 2019 at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Dubuque, Iowa. Rev. Steven Rosonke will officiate. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery in Farley, Iowa.
Marina was born on April 21,1931 in Sherrill, Iowa, daughter of Rupert Edmund and Martina Mary (Kurt) Stecklein. She grew up in rural Cascade, Iowa, and graduated from St. Mary High School in 1949. She married her sweetheart, Elmer Lehmann, on May 12, 1953 at St. Mary Catholic Church, Cascade.
She and her husband, Elmer, farmed in rural Farley for more than 40 years. While raising her four children, Marina was a volunteer representative for Youth for Understanding (YFU), a foreign exchange student organization. She and Elmer hosted many international students during their life on the farm and traveled to visit some of those students in Sweden and Brazil. For more than 40 years, Marina baked and decorated cakes for weddings, birthdays, and special occasions. It has been said, “You know you’re from Farley if Marina Lehmann made your wedding cake.”
Marina and Elmer met at a dance in Cascade, Iowa; during their 47 years of marriage they enjoyed time on the dance floor, dancing to “Elmer’s Tune” and other favorites. They enjoyed watching the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs games together; Marina remained an avid fan of both.
Marina said her greatest accomplishment in life was her family. She delighted in the company of her four children and their families, including nine grandchildren, and two great grandchildren (who called her “GG”). She proudly attended their school events, made special cakes for their birthdays and other celebrations, and supported them throughout their lives. Marina’s philosophy was “Life is what you make of it”. She was a shining example of this adage, always seeing the positive aspects of any situation in life.
She had a strong faith and trust in God, praying the Rosary daily since her teenage years. She was a loyal and active parishioner of St. Joseph Parish in Farley, Iowa where she was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society and served as a Eucharistic Minister. She was a 50-year member of the American Legion Auxiliary. When Marina and Elmer moved to Dubuque in1998, she became a member of St. Anthony Parish in Dubuque, Iowa and served as a Eucharistic Minister.
Surviving are her son, Anthony (Cathleen) Lehmann, of Dubuque; three daughters, Kathy Lehmann (Dave Young), of North Springfield, VA, Lisa (Ron) Barnett, of Ames, IA, and Gail (Joseph) McMahon, of Dubuque; nine grandchildren, Sarah (Wes) Pilkington, Michael Lehmann, John (Kelly) Lehmann, Anne Lehmann, Lauren Barnett, and Travis, Martina, Audra, and Micah McMahon; two great grandchildren, Jacob & Ryan Pilkington.
Other survivors include her siblings, Roland “Rollie” (Theresa) Stecklein and Shirley (Gene) Hoffmann of Cascade, IA, Judith (Alan) Westhoff of Portland, OR, and Edmund (Shirley) Stecklein of Monticello, IA; brothers and sisters-in-law Barbara Stecklein of Cascade, IA, Marian Stecklein of Bellevue, IA, Jim Goblirsch of Sleepy Eye, MN, Sr. Mary Lois Lehmann, PBVM, of Dubuque, Florence Jaeger of Holy Cross, IA, Wilma Hogan of Worthington, IA, Ruth McMahon of Manchester, IA, Margaret Lehmann of Farley, IA and Joanne Lehmann of Dubuque, IA.
Marina was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters, Mary Eileen Stecklein, Madonna Otting-Tucker, and Elizabeth Jane “Janie” Goblirsch, brothers Clement Stecklein and Lloyd “Bowdy” Stecklein, father and mother-in-law, Anton and Frances Lehmann, brothers and sisters-in-law Wilbur “Bill” Otting, Lavern “Roger” Tucker, Clarence and Verla Lehmann, Merlin Jaeger, William and Anna Mae Lehmann, Bill Hogan, and Joe McMahon.
Thank you to Dr. Ron Schope, Dr. Tom Schreiber and medical teams for all they did for Marina. The family is also grateful for the care and compassion provided by the staff of Eagle Pointe Place. Finally, special thanks to Helen Thielen, her BFF of many years.