Kathryn L. Ricker

Kathryn L. Ricker, 98, of Waukon, IA, died Tuesday, October 20, 2009, at Thornton Manor in Lansing, IA. Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 24th, at 11:00 AM at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon. Friends may greet the family at the church from 9:30 AM until time of service on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, memorials for Kathryn may be made to the donor's charity of choice.

Kathryn L. Ricker was born on December 22, 1910 in Rossville, IA, the daughter of Fred and Eula (Leas) Wiedenmann. She attended the Rossville Elementary School and graduated from Waterville High School. On August 30, 1928 she married Lawrence Earl Ricker at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA. They farmed in the Rossville area for several years before moving to Waukon where Kathryn was a homemaker and raised her three children. An accomplished seamstress, she did sewing and alterations for B&B Clothing in Waukon and later spent many years as the bookkeeper for Jacobi's Clothing, also in Waukon.


Kathryn was a member of Zion United Church of Christ and active in her Ladies Circle. She was known for her large garden and she spent considerable time canning the produce she raised. In addition to sewing, Kathryn enjoyed knitting and crochet work as well as visiting with her friends.


Survivors include her three children, Marilyn (Robert) Bulman of Waukon, Barbara (Arne) Grangaard of Waconia, MN, and Clayton (Audrey) Ricker of Pine, AZ; 8 grandchildren, Dennis (Patti) Ricker, Doug (Susan) Clark, Joel (Sue) Clark, Kris (Tom Prather) Grangaard, Tim (Karen) Grangaard, Sue Clark, Thea (Don) Thies, and Shelly (Steve) Gearhart; 14 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandchild; 6 step-grandchildren; 21 step-great-grandchildren; 8 step-great-great-grandchildren; and a half-sister-in-law, Lois Wiedenmann of Waukon. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband Lawrence, who died in 1994; a son-in-law, Curtis Clark; and a half-brother, Armand S. Klees.

Casketbearers are her grandchildren and their spouses.