Mary Hermsen

Mary Ann Hermsen, 86 of New Vienna passed away Friday, August 30, 2019, at Shady Rest Care Center, Cascade. Visitation will be held from 2 – 8 pm Wednesday, September 11, 2019, at Kramer Funeral Home, 750 12th Ave SW in Dyersville where a parish vigil service will be held at 4:00 pm and the NV/Luxemburg Fire Department will gather at 6:30 pm. Visitation will continue Thursday from 11 am – 1 pm at St. Boniface Catholic Church in New Vienna. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, September 12, 2019 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in New Vienna, with burial in the church cemetery. Fr. Jim Goerend will officiate. Mary Ann was born October 15, 1932, in Luxemburg, Iowa the daughter of Felix and Rose (Meyers) Oberbroeckling. She attended Holy Trinity School in Luxemburg, however left school early after the death of her mother (which was the day after Mary Ann’s 16th Birthday) to help raise her younger siblings. Mary Ann married Virgil Hermsen on September 22, 1954, in Luxemburg. After marriage she worked at Roshek’s Cafeteria in Dubuque and The National Tea Grocery Store in Dyersville. But for most of her life Mary was a stay at home mother until the early 1960’s when Virgil purchased The New Vienna Feed Mill where she helped when needed. They also owned and operated Virgil’s Woodshop after the sale of the Feed Mill. For many years they attended auctions and set up Flea Markets in Illinois and Minnesota. You could also find her helping out at Breitbach’s Country Dining in the kitchen or bar area until her health started to fail. Survivors include her husband, Virgil, (they would have been married 65 years this September 22); children: Robert (Teresa) Hermsen of Belle Plaine, Debra (Gary) Osterhaus of Petersburg, Patrick (Kim) Hermsen and Susan (Joe) Kluesner, both of New Vienna, Mike (Tiffany) Hermsen of Kansas City, MO, and Sara (Gary) Goedken of Worthington; 20 grandchildren: Anne (Graham Critch) Hermsen, Katie (Kyle) Grosz, Andrew Hermsen, Chris (Rochelle Hunter) Hermsen, Chad (Kris) Osterhaus, Kurt (Christy) Osterhaus, Lara (Shawn) Summer, Luke Hermsen, Lindsey Hermsen, Kevin Kluesner, Molly Kluesner, Mary (Kirby Kendrick) Kluesner, Daniel (Holly Offerman) Kluesner, Mariah (Jacob Ross) Hermsen, Hannah Hermsen, Sierra Hermsen, Tyler (Megan) Goedken, Elizabeth (Mario) Ibarra; 10 great grandchildren: Ellyn, Kinnick, Garrett, Kilee, Dalton, Josalyn, Valen, Elyse, Myles and Emilio; 2 step great grandchildren: Daniel and Adam; siblings: Dennis (Barb) Oberbroeckling of Cedar Rapids and Patricia (Joe) Wulfekuhle of Petersburg; in-laws: Doris Lake of Dyersville, Fred (Barb) Hermsen of Peosta, Daniel (Jean) Hermsen of Dyersville and Jean (Marvin) Kramer of Farley. She was preceded in death by her parents, parents-in-law, John and Sylvia (Thillen) Hermsen; grandchildren: Greg and Abby Osterhaus; siblings: Gregor (in infancy), Henry (Jeanne), Albert (Gladys), Leonard Oberbroeckling, Elizabeth (Louis) Loeffelholz, Lucille (LeRoy) Loeffelholz and Theresa (Herman) Mueller; a brother-in-law, Lavern “Doc” Lake. A Mary Ann Hermsen Memorial Fund has been established and memorials are preferred. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com.