A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, May 24, 2008, at Holy Family Parish-St. Joseph
Center, New Hampton with Msgr. Carl Schmitt celebrating
the Mass. The pall will be placed by her
children. Lector for the service will be nephew,
Keith Weigel. Michelle Lau will be the organist
accompanying the North Washington's Men Choir and the
Holy Family Resurrection Choir. Hymns will be
"Be Not Afraid", "You Are Near",
"On Eagle's Wings" and "Lead Me
Lord". Eucharistic ministers will be
sisters, Marlene Weigel and Elaine Wedeking.
Presenting the offertory gifts will be her brother,
Cletus Laures and sister, Diane Brandt.
Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery, New Hampton with grandsons,
Brian Heying, Tony Breitbach, Austin Collins, Gerry
Burgart, Justin Burgart, Jacob Burgart, Jon Ayers, Jesse
Ayers, Jackson Anderson, Sawyer Anderson and Coleton
Berg as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers are Rita’s
granddaughters, Rhonda Dreckman, Amanda Rockow, Jayda
Dietzenbach, Jill Maklenburg, Erica Bodensteiner,
Krista Walsh, Abby Burgart, Amber Breitbach, Dayna
Collins, Maggie Collins, Sierra Burgart, Shanae Burgart,
Lacey Einck, Kylie Einck, Latasha Berg and Courtney
Berg.
Friends may call 3 - 8 p.m. Friday at Hugeback &
Chenoweth Funeral Home in New Hampton where there will
be a 4:00 p.m. Catholic Daughters of the Americas
Rosary and a 6:00 p.m. Parish Scripture service.
Visitation continues an hour prior to the Mass at church
on Saturday.
Rita Catherine (Laures) Burgart was born August 17, 1933, in New
Hampton, Iowa the daughter of Vincent and Ida (Schueller)
Laures. She received her education at St. Mary’s
Grade School and High School in North Washington,
graduating in 1951.
On April 22, 1953, at the Immaculate Conception
Catholic Church, North Washington Rita was united in marriage to
Gerald Francis Burgart. To this union ten children were
born. The couple lived in the North Washington area for
many years having also lived in Charles City for two
years. In 1973, the Burgarts moved to New Hampton.
Gerald died of cancer on March 10, 1977, at the age of
48. Rita worked for 24 years at the former Sara Lee,
retiring in 1995. In 2000, Rita began her long battle
with the neurological disease, Cortical Basal
Degeneration.
Rita loved baking, gardening, making quilts, playing
cards and bean bags. She loved the time she spent with
family and friends, who will miss her dearly.
Memberships include Holy Family Parish and Rosary
Society, the Catholic Daughters of the America’s and
the VFW Auxiliary in Alta Vista.
Survivors include three sons, Mike (Julie) Burgart of
Cedar Falls, Steve (Joan) Burgart of Calmar, Stan
(Audra) Burgart of New Hampton; seven daughters, Nancy
(Claude) Babcock of Lawler, Cindy (Larry) Heying, Sue
(Randy) Breitbach and Bonnie (Steve) Collins all of New
Hampton, Denise (Randy) Ayers of Lidderdale, IA, Wendy
(Kevin) Einck and Carol (Steve) Anderson all of New
Hampton; 27 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; two
brothers, Virgil (Kathleen) Laures of New Hampton and
Cletus (Jeanne) Laures of Ionia; three sisters, Marlene
(Bill) Weigel of New Hampton, Elaine (Roger) Wedeking
and Diane (David) Brandt all of Charles City; one
brother-in-law, Bob Burgart of North Washington; two
sisters-in-law, Darlene McGowan and MaDonna Laures both
of New Hampton.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her
husband; two brothers, Dale Laures and Kenny Laures; a
sister, Virginia Laures and a great-granddaughter,
Magdaline Dietzenbach.
