Verena Croatt

Verena Rausch Croatt, age 100 of St. Lucas, IA, passed away in her sleep on Sunday, February 12, 2023, at Good Samaritan Nursing Home, in West Union, Iowa. A prayer service will be on Sunday, February 19, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. at St. Luke’s Church, St. Lucas, IA. Burial will follow in the St. Luke’s Cemetery in St. Lucas. Verena was born on June 29, 1922, the daughter of Hugo and Barbara (Hackman) Rausch in St. Lucas, Iowa. She was the fifth of seven children. Verena and her siblings worked on the family farm and in the family-owned lime quarry, where her job was to break the limestone rock with a sledgehammer. In 1938, she met her Mr. Right, James Croatt, and they married on May 7, 1940. The couple moved to their farm in St. Lucas where they lived for 39 years and raised their nine children. They were married for 72 years until James’s death in 2012. Throughout her life one of Verena’s biggest passions was music. When she was sixteen, she and two of her brothers would perform at house parties, weddings, and gatherings. She played the guitar and sang. Verena never lost her love of music and played piano, sang, and enjoyed music the rest of her life. Even during the last years at the nursing home, she was always ready for music time and singing and was still always ready to join in a song with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren whenever they visited. During their retirement, Verena and James made countless handcrafted Christmas gifts for their children and grandchildren. From 1978 on family members received handcrafted gifts for Christmas. Preserving traditions and family history was also important to Verena and she passed them on in several ways: a Family History book, a Family Cookbook, a Gamebook (including all the favorite card games), a Quips and Quotes Book, collected by her. Each was carefully put together with handwritten text and pictures, and presented to family members as Christmas presents over the years. Verena also enjoyed gardening, bird watching, art, reading, playing countless games of cards, and there wasn’t a puzzle that she couldn’t complete. On June 29, 2022, Verena celebrated her 100th birthday at the Good Samaritan Home with her children. There was a birthday tiara, flowers, a toast to 100 years and much music, singing Happy Birthday and many of her favorite songs. As Mom wrote in one of her books, “Love holds it all together,” and she spent her life holding her family together with love. Those left to cherish her memory include her children: Elaine Holthaus, Dubuque, IA; Phyllis (Mark) Gully, Cape Coral, FL; Janice (Gary) Mihm, West Union, IA; Lorraine Holthaus, Decorah, IA; Melvin (Woody) Croatt, St. Paul, MN; Roger (Tracy) Croatt, Decorah, IA; Karen Born, Rochester, MN; and Susan Croatt, Maquoketa, IA. She leaves behind 16 grandchildren: Nancy Nicholson, Brad Holthaus, Curtis Gully, Jeff Gully, Cary Jo Mihm, Scott Mihm, Wendy Herold, Julie Rogers, Chad Holthaus, Shanna Nunn, Renae Dahl, Kylie Beran, Dana Croatt, Tessa Hendrickson, Jonathan Born, and Brandon Born; 28 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by brothers and sisters-in-laws: Darlys Rausch, Barbara and Jim Jirak, Francis and Jeannie Riha, Shirley Riha, and Rosemary and LaVerne Franzen. She was preceded in death by her husband, James; son Ken Croatt; son-in-laws Ken Holthaus, Ron Holthaus, and Mike Born; her parents Hugo and Barbara Rausch; brothers Carl (Helen) Rausch, Alex (Loretta) Rausch, Herb (Christine) Rausch, Donald Rausch; sisters Hermina (Arnold) Boeding and Laura (Robert) Kuboushek; brothers and sisters-in-law: Edward (Agnes) Riha, Matt (Mary) Riha, Angie (Bill) Brannon, Leonard (Millie) Riha, Daniel Riha, Mildred (Herbert) Dietzenbach, Sis (Edwin) Wurzer, Louise (Eddie) Dietzenbach and Irene (Al) Franzen. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Palmer Hospice, West Union, Iowa or to the St. Lucas Catholic Church in her name. We wish to express our sincere thanks to Palmer Hospice, Mary D., who took such great care of “V”, and especially to Jan and Gary Mihm for their unfaltering care, love and devotion to Mom.