Irene Gosch

Hawarden, Iowa ~ Irene Kratchovil-Gosch, 94, of Hawarden, Iowa, died on Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at the Hillcrest Healthcare Services in Hawarden.

Memorial Service will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 25, 2016 at the Trinity Lutheran Church, LCMS in Hawarden with Rev. David Daumer officiating. Burial of the cremated remains will follow in the Grace Hill Cemetery in Hawarden. Visitation with the family and a luncheon at the church will follow the committal service. The Porter Funeral Home is assisting the family. Condolences may be sent to www.porterfuneralhomes.com.

Irene was born on October 22, 1921 to Fred & Grace (Manden) Pluss and lived on a farm six miles east of Hawarden. Irene's mother died in 1931 at the age of 31, leaving six children ages 18 months to 11 years of age. After her death the children were taken in by other families. Irene went to live with the Gabels by Akron and later with Fay and Bertha Houlton in Hawarden. She graduated from Hawarden High School in 1940. After high school, she was employed as a telephone operator in Hawarden, located above Booth Drug. They were known as the "hello girls".

In 1942 she married Bill Kratchovil. He served four years during World War Il and in 1951 they moved to a farm west of Hawarden in South Dakota. They had one daughter, Sue Ann, born in 1946. Sue lost her life in a tragic car accident in 1967. Bill passed away suddenly at the age of 57 in 1973 and in 1974 Irene moved to Hawarden. She worked at Mapes Nursing Home when it first opened. In 1975 she married Ferd Gosch and they operated a hearing aid office downtown and later in their home for many years. Irene also worked as a home health caregiver before retiring at age 70. Ferd died on April 30, 2013.

She loved to putter around her home, cooking, knitting, playing cards and riding around town, always interested in all that was happening. In February she entered Hillcrest and enjoyed that time with fellow residents and staff.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husbands and daughter Sue; brothers, Howard & Rudy Pluss; sisters, Evonne Kane-Graf, Neva Oldham; and nephew, James Oldham.

Irene is survived by her sister, Shirley Hansen of Rock Valley, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Kratchovil, Mary Reppe, and Louise Anderson; and nephews & nieces, Jeff Pluss, Scott & Al Pluss, Diane Bonga, Denise Gremel, Greg, Matt, Tom, Marty, Molly & Jamie Kane, David & Joe Oldham, Dave & Paul Hansen.

Memorial Service