Alvina Harriet Sickels

Alvina H. Sickels, 92, of Waukon, IA, died Friday, September 28, 2018, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Thursday, October 4th, at 11:00 AM at Waterville Lutheran Church in Waterville with Pastor Tim Rupert officiating. Burial will be at Waterville Lutheran Cemetery. Friends may call from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Wednesday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

Alvina Harriet Sickels was born June 29, 1926, at home in Waterville, IA, the daughter of Otto Cornelius and Martha Elizabeth (Asleson) Nelson. She was baptized and confirmed at Waterville Lutheran Church and attended Waterville school. On September 17, 1944, Alvina married Arthur Andrew Sickels at Waterville Lutheran Church. The couple farmed for a few years in Waukon Junction until they were flooded out too many times. In addition to raising her five children, Alvina also babysat for a few families in the area. Alvina worked for Capco Products in Volney, IA, for 13 years and cleaned houses for several years after that.

A lifelong member of Waterville Lutheran Church, Alvina started attending services at Rossville Presbyterian Church following Waterville's closing. She enjoyed spending time with her children and their families and made sure that they were all together at least once a year, usually at the annual fish fry held on her birthday. All her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were there to celebrate with her. On her 92nd birthday, Alvina rode in a dune buggy with her grandson and loved it. While she enjoyed celebrating her own birthday, she also sent cards to all her family every year, including to her great-grandchildren.

Alvina loved to bake banana bread, peanut butter cookies, and chocolate chip cookies and to share them with family and friends. She liked sitting on her patio swing with neighbors and waving at all who drove by. She enjoyed card games with friends at the Vet's Club, taking bus trips to casinos, and going to "the boat". Alvina always had a vegetable and flower garden and did a lot of canning. She loved country music and KNEI was always playing in the background while her beloved parakeet swayed to the music also. She adored her daughter Becky's dog Ruby, and when they visited, Alvina and Ruby would sit side by side in her recliner.

She is survived by her children: Rodney (Deb) Sickels of Dorchester, IA, Robert (Bev) Sickels of Nevada, IA, and Becky (Curtis) See of Aransas Pass, TX; 11 grandchildren: Donnie Sickels, Michelle Paxton, Kris Coggins, Carla Roehm, Jodie and Jake Bresnahan, Tracy Dage, Byron Sunkle, Becky Handsaker, and Luke and Andrea See; 22 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; two brothers: Kenneth (Lee) Nelson of Clinton, IA, and Howard (Irene) Nelson of Comanche, IA; and a sister Olive Marohn of La Crosse, WI.

Alvina was preceded in death by her parents; husband Arthur in 1985; a son Richard Sickels; a daughter Ruth Sunkle; an infant sister Marcella Nelson; two brothers: Arthur and Orville Nelson; two sisters: Marjorie Nelson and Norma McFadden; daughter-in-law Linda Sickels; son-in-law Phil Sunkle; and brother-in-law Merlin Marohn.

Honorary casketbearers are Delores Fish, Terri Palmer, Diane Pederson, Christy & Sophia Stone, Wayne & Rhonda Thorstenson and Roger & Mona Asleson. Casketbearers are Alvina's grandchildren and Scott Pederson.