Obituary for Velma A. Martens (Osterhaus)
Velma A. Martens, 93, of Oak Park Place, passed away Friday, January 22, 2021, at Stonehill Care Center.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday, January 26, at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 John F. Kennedy Rd., Dubuque, where a service will be held at 11 a.m., and will be live-streamed on the funeral home Facebook page. Sr. Margaret Ann Kramer will officiate. Masks and social distancing are required. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Velma was born February 10, 1927 in Epworth, IA, the daughter of Fred and Lucy (Oberfoell) Osterhaus. She graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy. Velma married William “Red” Martens on May 30, 1949 at Church of the Nativity, Dubuque. He preceded her in death on July 2, 1997.
Prior to her marriage, Velma worked in the office at Sears. She was a long-time member of St. Anthony Catholic Church, where she volunteered in the rectory.
Velma always made sure to keep busy. While her children were young, she served as a Girl Scout Leader and a Den Mother for the Cub Scouts. Velma was a member of the Lacoma Ladies Golf League. In her later years, she volunteered at the Red Cross Blood Center and the Finley Hospital Sunshine Circle.
Velma and Red enjoyed socializing at the North End Gun Club, and after the death of her husband, she continued to go out with the North End Gun Club Widows. She was also a member of the Red Hat Society.
She loved to play board games and travel, and greatly enjoyed spending time with her family and her “adopted” family, the Mettilles.
Velma is survived by her son, Bob Martens, of Dubuque; her daughter, Sue (Joe) Mettille, of Dubuque; triplet grandsons Jeffrey Mettille, of Washington, DC, Matthew Mettille, of San Francisco, CA, and Nathan (Rachel) Mettille, of Eagan, MN; three great-grandchildren, Lucy, Emmy, and Max Mettille; her sister-in-law, Nancy Osterhaus of Davenport, IA; and her nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her son, William J. Martens; and her brothers, Merlin (Dolores), John (Arlien), and Donald Osterhaus.
Velma’s family would like to extend a special thank you to the family of Don and Margaret Mettille for their years of friendship; and to Hospice of Dubuque, Stonehill Care Center, and Oak Park Place for their care of Velma.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sunnycrest Manor or Hospice of Dubuque.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday, January 26, at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 John F. Kennedy Rd., Dubuque, where a service will be held at 11 a.m., and will be live-streamed on the funeral home Facebook page. Sr. Margaret Ann Kramer will officiate. Masks and social distancing are required. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Velma was born February 10, 1927 in Epworth, IA, the daughter of Fred and Lucy (Oberfoell) Osterhaus. She graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy. Velma married William “Red” Martens on May 30, 1949 at Church of the Nativity, Dubuque. He preceded her in death on July 2, 1997.
Prior to her marriage, Velma worked in the office at Sears. She was a long-time member of St. Anthony Catholic Church, where she volunteered in the rectory.
Velma always made sure to keep busy. While her children were young, she served as a Girl Scout Leader and a Den Mother for the Cub Scouts. Velma was a member of the Lacoma Ladies Golf League. In her later years, she volunteered at the Red Cross Blood Center and the Finley Hospital Sunshine Circle.
Velma and Red enjoyed socializing at the North End Gun Club, and after the death of her husband, she continued to go out with the North End Gun Club Widows. She was also a member of the Red Hat Society.
She loved to play board games and travel, and greatly enjoyed spending time with her family and her “adopted” family, the Mettilles.
Velma is survived by her son, Bob Martens, of Dubuque; her daughter, Sue (Joe) Mettille, of Dubuque; triplet grandsons Jeffrey Mettille, of Washington, DC, Matthew Mettille, of San Francisco, CA, and Nathan (Rachel) Mettille, of Eagan, MN; three great-grandchildren, Lucy, Emmy, and Max Mettille; her sister-in-law, Nancy Osterhaus of Davenport, IA; and her nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her son, William J. Martens; and her brothers, Merlin (Dolores), John (Arlien), and Donald Osterhaus.
Velma’s family would like to extend a special thank you to the family of Don and Margaret Mettille for their years of friendship; and to Hospice of Dubuque, Stonehill Care Center, and Oak Park Place for their care of Velma.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sunnycrest Manor or Hospice of Dubuque.