- Born on: August 28, 1920
- Departed on: April 1, 2024
- Resided in: Cedar Rapids, IA
Lucille Koenig
"This above all: To thine own self be true. And it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." This was one of Lucille Koenig's favorite quotes from Shakespeare that she would recite to her children and grandchildren. They also liked to hear "The Night Before Christmas" and other passages she had memorized in school many years ago.
Lucille Koenig, 103, passed away at home on April 1, 2024. She died peacefully, with her family at her side. She is survived by her son, Steven Koenig; her daughter, Becky Picard (Denny Waldron); grandchildren, Jennifer (Mike) Shirk, Jodi Koenig, Christian (Erica) Picard and Ryan (Jill) Picard; great-grandchildren, Joseph and Katherine Shirk, Juliette and Charlotte Picard, and Lauren and Macy Picard, and her sister, Mary Jane Goecke of Omaha. She was preceded in death by her husband Joseph Koenig, parents John and Margaret Schenkelberg, eight brothers and sisters, nine brothers- and sisters-in-law, and her daughter-in-law Mary Ann Koenig.
Lucille Koenig was born August 28, 1920 in Halbur, Iowa, the sixth of John & Margaret Schenkelberg's ten children. She graduated from St. Angela's Academy in Carroll, Iowa in 1938. She married Joseph Koenig in Halbur in 1945, right after the war, and soon after had two children, Steve and Becky. They moved to Cedar Rapids in 1950. Lucille was mainly a stay-at-home mom and was also bookkeeper for the Sinclair station they owned on Ellis Boulevard during the early years of their marriage. Mom lived through the Great Depression. She and her sisters were operators for the Halbur telephone company, which was based out of their home, connecting all the wires from callers to receivers as we see in the old movies. She lived through World War II when Dad became a German Prisoner of War for 14 months. Mom went to Mass every day during this time, in her little town of Halbur, with support from all the townspeople.
Mom and Dad celebrated 70 wonderful years of marriage shortly before his death in 2016. Lucille loved to bake and cook, particularly at Christmas, and her family will never forget her cinnamon rolls and sugar cookies. She enjoyed games and playing cards (and slot machines!) and loved to laugh. She loved jokes, although she was never able to tell one herself. She would start laughing so hard that tears would come down her cheeks, making all of us laugh even harder. She loved poetry as a child and could recite verses from Shakespeare until the weeks before she passed away. She and Joe shared a love of travel, and a love of the Cubs, Mom could easily quote the statistics of her favorite Cub players. But most of all, Mom and Dad shared a love of family, and of God, and of being kind to others. Mom was lucky to live in her home until the end of her life, and treasured visits from her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They will remember Lucille as loving and devoted and will always be thankful for her long life. Lucille's family wishes to thank everyone who has supported her, including her kind neighbors and especially her wonderful caregivers.
Lucille was the oldest parishioner of St. Pius X Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids, and donations may be directed there in her memory. A memorial mass will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 28, 2024, at St. Pius Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Lucille Koenig, 103, passed away at home on April 1, 2024. She died peacefully, with her family at her side. She is survived by her son, Steven Koenig; her daughter, Becky Picard (Denny Waldron); grandchildren, Jennifer (Mike) Shirk, Jodi Koenig, Christian (Erica) Picard and Ryan (Jill) Picard; great-grandchildren, Joseph and Katherine Shirk, Juliette and Charlotte Picard, and Lauren and Macy Picard, and her sister, Mary Jane Goecke of Omaha. She was preceded in death by her husband Joseph Koenig, parents John and Margaret Schenkelberg, eight brothers and sisters, nine brothers- and sisters-in-law, and her daughter-in-law Mary Ann Koenig.
Lucille Koenig was born August 28, 1920 in Halbur, Iowa, the sixth of John & Margaret Schenkelberg's ten children. She graduated from St. Angela's Academy in Carroll, Iowa in 1938. She married Joseph Koenig in Halbur in 1945, right after the war, and soon after had two children, Steve and Becky. They moved to Cedar Rapids in 1950. Lucille was mainly a stay-at-home mom and was also bookkeeper for the Sinclair station they owned on Ellis Boulevard during the early years of their marriage. Mom lived through the Great Depression. She and her sisters were operators for the Halbur telephone company, which was based out of their home, connecting all the wires from callers to receivers as we see in the old movies. She lived through World War II when Dad became a German Prisoner of War for 14 months. Mom went to Mass every day during this time, in her little town of Halbur, with support from all the townspeople.
Mom and Dad celebrated 70 wonderful years of marriage shortly before his death in 2016. Lucille loved to bake and cook, particularly at Christmas, and her family will never forget her cinnamon rolls and sugar cookies. She enjoyed games and playing cards (and slot machines!) and loved to laugh. She loved jokes, although she was never able to tell one herself. She would start laughing so hard that tears would come down her cheeks, making all of us laugh even harder. She loved poetry as a child and could recite verses from Shakespeare until the weeks before she passed away. She and Joe shared a love of travel, and a love of the Cubs, Mom could easily quote the statistics of her favorite Cub players. But most of all, Mom and Dad shared a love of family, and of God, and of being kind to others. Mom was lucky to live in her home until the end of her life, and treasured visits from her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They will remember Lucille as loving and devoted and will always be thankful for her long life. Lucille's family wishes to thank everyone who has supported her, including her kind neighbors and especially her wonderful caregivers.
Lucille was the oldest parishioner of St. Pius X Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids, and donations may be directed there in her memory. A memorial mass will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 28, 2024, at St. Pius Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
