Helen A. Sweeney Osterhaus

Helen A. Sweeney Osterhaus, 91, of Dubuque, formerly of Holy Cross, died Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, at Mercy Medical Center, Dubuque. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28, at Kramer Funeral Home in Holy Cross, where a vigil service will be held at 5 p.m. Services will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, with burial in the church cemetery. The Rev. Raymond Burkle will officiate.

Helen was born Nov. 1, 1921, in Sherrill, Iowa, the daughter of Louis and Viola (Tigges) Klein. She married Edgar Sweeney on Aug. 21, 1941, in Sherrill. They farmed in Holy Cross until his death on May 16, 1971. Helen later married Cletus Osterhaus on Aug. 27, 1977, in Holy Cross, Iowa. He died May 9, 1994.

She was a member of the Resurrection Parish and a volunteer at the Dubuque Arboretum for many years.

Survivors include 11 children: Roger (Donna) Sweeney of Holy Cross, Terry (Mary Ann) Sweeney of Marion, Sheila (John) Zasoba of Naples, Fla., Sharon (John) Neel of Riverton, Wyo., Tim (Linda) Sweeney of Mount Horeb, Wis., Colleen (Don) Carl of Hutchinson, Minn., Jan (Cindy) Sweeney, Pat (Stacy) Sweeney and Mary Jean Sweeney, all of Dubuque, Lisa (Scott) Grekoff of Cedar Rapids and Kathleen (Tim) Shores of Hartford, Wis.; stepdaughter, Deb Osterhaus; two stepdaughters-in-law, Karen Osterhaus and Marilyn (Ron) LeClaire; 22 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; seven stepgrandchildren; several stepgreat-grandchildren; a sister, Viola Wild of Dubuque; four sisters-in-law: Romana Sweeney, Florabelle Kluesner, Evelyn Friedman and Verna Klosterman; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Edgar Sweeney; her second husband, Cletus Osterhaus; a brother, Sylvester Klein; a sister, Hilda Schueller; two stepsons, Dale Osterhaus in 1990 and Dennis Osterhaus in 1987; and in-laws, Esther (Al) Wagner, Monica (Leo) Steffen, Bernadette Sweeney, Mark (Jeanette) Sweeney, Marcella (Joe) Van Zile, Cyril (Rosina) Sweeney, Clarinda (George) Klosterman, and Sylvia (Ed) Breitbach.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com.

Published Jan. 26, 2013 in The Gazette