Evelyn Darlene Rechtenbach died Sunday, June 6, 2021, at Heritage House in Atlantic, Iowa, at the age of 98 years, 6 months and 17 days.
Evelyn was born November 19, 1922, at her home in rural Fontanelle, Iowa, to Herman C. and Clara (Fust) Marckmann. She was baptized and confirmed at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle. She graduated from Fontanelle High School in 1940. She taught at country school in Adair County before attending Simpson College in Indianola to obtain her teaching certificate. She then taught elementary school in Casey, Iowa, and also was the girls’ basketball sponsor. On August 6, 1950, she married Everett Earl Rechtenbach and they made their home in Atlantic. To this union were born 2 daughters, Judy and Janis. She continued her teaching career at Jackson Elementary School in Atlantic until her retirement in 1985. She also continued her own education, and graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree from Buena Vista College in 1978.
Evelyn loved to travel; she and Everett having visited all 50 states and several foreign countries, and took the girls on a family vacation in the car with a tent and later a trailer every summer all over the country. She also enjoyed church life, gardening, camping, fishing, playing cards, reading, volunteering, and crocheting. As part of her over 10,000 volunteer hours for the Cass County Hospital Auxiliary, she crocheted baby caps for the newborns. She was an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Church life was an integral part of her life, and included being a member of Women of the ELCA, teaching Sunday and Bible School, serving as Sunday School Superintendent for 12 years, crocheting baby sweaters for World Relief, and generously gave of her time and talents to the church’s functions for over 70 years. She loved attending her grandsons’ 4-H, school and sporting events, and enjoyed beginning to attend her great-grandsons’ activities. Her family was the most important thing in her life.
She is survived by her daughters, Judy Schwenneker of Adel and Janis and her husband Dick Rabenold of Pleasant Hill; grandsons, Brent and wife Samantha Schwenneker of Adel and Jason Schwenneker of Ankeny; and great-grandsons Bryce, Nolan and Carson Schwenneker of Adel.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her son-in-law Ed Schwenneker, her sister Velma Marckmann, her 2 brothers-in-law and their wives, 2 nephews and a niece.
Funeral services will be held Friday, June 11, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic. Following a luncheon at the church, burial will be at the Fontanelle Cemetery, east of Fontanelle, at 2 p.m. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 10, at Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic.
She requests that memorials be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic.
Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.
