Obituary for Nona Rita Nigg
Nona Rita (Schroeder) Nigg, 89 died on May 24, 2021 of natural causes at the home of her daughter in Minneapolis. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 4th at St. Anthony's Catholic Church with Rev. Steven Rosonke officiating. The Funeral Mass will be livestreamed at stanthony-dubuque.org.
Click on Youtube link. Burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until time of services Friday at the church. Nona was born September 3, 1931 in Dyersville, Iowa, the daughter of Mary K. (Macke) and Joseph F. Schroeder. She graduated from St. Francis Xavier High School in Dyersville and received her degree in English with honors from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, Iowa. Nona taught school for a short time in Hampton, Iowa before moving to Dubuque to work at the Telegraph Herald. She lived in Dubuque until 2018. Nona met her husband, Jim at a poetry writing class in Dubuque and they were married at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville on October 6, 1956. She later worked as a proofreader and editor at WC Brown Company publishers, did freelance writing and editing for the local magazine, Julien's Journal, and worked 12 years for Project Concern as an Information and Referral specialist - a job in which she greatly enjoyed helping people. Nona also volunteered at Project Concern, St. Anthony's church and school, phone-a-friend crisis line, girl scouts and more. She was a member of St. Anthony's parish for many years where she was a member of the Emmaus Community and a volunteer on Prayer Line. An avid reader who enjoyed book clubs, Nona would often share high-quality books with her family and others, and with her legendary memory, quoted poetry apt to many a situation. Travels took her to Alaska, Florida beaches, California, Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon and everywhere her children lived. In her last years she was a resident of Assisi Village and Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque and Mt. Olivet Careview Home in Minneapolis where her daughter lived. She was able to spend the last year of her life at her daughter Catherine's home during the pandemic - a great blessing for all. She was known throughout her life and even by her end-of-life caregivers for her love of books, thoughtful and creative writing, and her kind and gentle manner, quiet wisdom, constant 'thank you' and dry wit that brought many smiles to caregivers. She loved the beauty of nature and was always a faith-filled person seeking to understand and share her faith. Her most joyful times were raising her children and spent with family. Nona is survived by her three children Joel (Angela) of Portland, OR; Stephen (Diane) of Anchorage, AK; Catherine Nigg of Minneapolis, MN; grandson Joseph James Nigg, step grandson Andy Waterworth and step great grandchildren Scarlett and Archer Waterworth; two sisters Elaine O'Neill (the late T. William O'Neill) and Lois Vasko (the late John Vasko). Nona was preceded in death by her beloved husband James R. Nigg; her parents; brother LeRoy Schroeder and sister-in-law Janice (Sartor) Schroeder; a brother and sister-in-law John (Jack) and Joan (Haslett) Nigg; sister-in-law Shirley McDonough and brother-in-law Charles McDonough.
The Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory is entrusted with arrangements.
Click on Youtube link. Burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until time of services Friday at the church. Nona was born September 3, 1931 in Dyersville, Iowa, the daughter of Mary K. (Macke) and Joseph F. Schroeder. She graduated from St. Francis Xavier High School in Dyersville and received her degree in English with honors from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, Iowa. Nona taught school for a short time in Hampton, Iowa before moving to Dubuque to work at the Telegraph Herald. She lived in Dubuque until 2018. Nona met her husband, Jim at a poetry writing class in Dubuque and they were married at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville on October 6, 1956. She later worked as a proofreader and editor at WC Brown Company publishers, did freelance writing and editing for the local magazine, Julien's Journal, and worked 12 years for Project Concern as an Information and Referral specialist - a job in which she greatly enjoyed helping people. Nona also volunteered at Project Concern, St. Anthony's church and school, phone-a-friend crisis line, girl scouts and more. She was a member of St. Anthony's parish for many years where she was a member of the Emmaus Community and a volunteer on Prayer Line. An avid reader who enjoyed book clubs, Nona would often share high-quality books with her family and others, and with her legendary memory, quoted poetry apt to many a situation. Travels took her to Alaska, Florida beaches, California, Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon and everywhere her children lived. In her last years she was a resident of Assisi Village and Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque and Mt. Olivet Careview Home in Minneapolis where her daughter lived. She was able to spend the last year of her life at her daughter Catherine's home during the pandemic - a great blessing for all. She was known throughout her life and even by her end-of-life caregivers for her love of books, thoughtful and creative writing, and her kind and gentle manner, quiet wisdom, constant 'thank you' and dry wit that brought many smiles to caregivers. She loved the beauty of nature and was always a faith-filled person seeking to understand and share her faith. Her most joyful times were raising her children and spent with family. Nona is survived by her three children Joel (Angela) of Portland, OR; Stephen (Diane) of Anchorage, AK; Catherine Nigg of Minneapolis, MN; grandson Joseph James Nigg, step grandson Andy Waterworth and step great grandchildren Scarlett and Archer Waterworth; two sisters Elaine O'Neill (the late T. William O'Neill) and Lois Vasko (the late John Vasko). Nona was preceded in death by her beloved husband James R. Nigg; her parents; brother LeRoy Schroeder and sister-in-law Janice (Sartor) Schroeder; a brother and sister-in-law John (Jack) and Joan (Haslett) Nigg; sister-in-law Shirley McDonough and brother-in-law Charles McDonough.
The Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory is entrusted with arrangements.