Mary Lea Harpenau

Mary Lea Harpenau, 74 years old, of Remsen, IA passed away Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 surrounded by her family at her home in Remsen, IA. 

            Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen with Rev. William McCarthy officiating and Deacon Rick Roder assisting.  Burial will be in the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Remsen.  Visitation will be anytime after 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015 with family present from 4 to 8 p.m.  There will be a parish rosary at 5 p.m., and a vigil prayer service at 7 p.m., all at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen.  Visitation will resume 8 a.m. Wednesday at Fisch Funeral Home & Monument.

            She was born on February 26, 1940 in Le Mars, Iowa to Andrew and Mary
(Poeckes) Pick. She attended school in Remsen and graduated from Remsen St. Mary’s High School in 1958. She continued her education at St.Vincent’s School of Nursing in Sioux City. While she was in nurses training, her dad, Andrew, passed away in January 1961 and then later graduated with her RN degree June 1961. On October 21, 1961, She was united in marriage to James Harpenau at Remsen St. Mary’s Catholic Church, officiated by Rev. Leo Harpenau. She worked as a Registered Nurse at the Le Mars Floyd Valley Hospital from 1961 until 1963. She then stayed home to raise her children until 1971, when Diane went to
school.  She touched many lives at the Happy Siesta Nursing Home for 34 years and then Bavarian Meadows for 4 years. She then retired in April 2013. They made their home on a farm near Remsen and then later moved into town.

            She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and St. Mary’s Guild. She was dedicated to her Catholic faith, the Virgin Mary with daily devotions by lighting candles and praying her rosary.  She embraced modern technology so she could keep in touch with her
children and grandchildren.
            She will be deeply missed by her husband of 53 years. Their children and spouses, Dale (Cindy) Harpenau of Fort Smith, AR, and their children, Allison (and her husband Jalynn Mitchell and son Will), Elise, Ty and Grace; Kay (Jim) Buys of Ankeny, IA, and their children, Andy, Jacob and Emily;  Al (Donna) Harpenau of Russellville, AR, and their children, Alaina, Mallory and Ryan;  Mark (Lisa) Harpenau of Ankeny, IA, and their children, Henri, Seth and Olivia; Wayne (Julie) Harpenau of Kalamazoo, MI, and their children, Nathan, Mitchell and Katie;  Diane (Mike) Weydert of Humboldt, IA and their children, Taylor, Morgan, Joe and Claire; Jill (Brad) Buckalew of Winterset, IA and their children, Haley, Braden and Bryce.
            In addition to her immediate family, Mary Lea leaves behind her siblings, Marvin and Donna Pick of Marcus, Pat (Pick) Harnack of Remsen, Paul and Marlene Pick of Remsen, and Ken and Liz Pick of Spencer, as well as several nieces and nephews.  Her in-laws, Clarence and Veronica Harpenau of Remsen, Darrell Schroeder of Le Mars, Ervin Ahlers of
Remsen, Rose Mary (Harpenau) and Denis Schilmoeller of Granville, Rich and Pauline Harpenau of Remsen,  Jim Gergeni of Le Mars , Carol Harpenau of Omaha, Ann (Harpenau) and Larry Galles of Remsen.
            Mary Leawill be welcomed into heaven with open arms by her parents, Andrew and Mary Pick; her in-laws, Henry and Mildred Harpenau; sister-in-law Rosie Pick, Cloette (Harpenau) Schroeder, JoAnn (Harpenau) Ahlers and Mary “Lou” (Vondrak Harpenau) Gergeni, Jeanette Harpenau in infancy; brother-in-law’s Clayton Harnack and Paul
Harpenau; her nieces Mary Sheehan (goddaughter) and Amy Galles and nephew Russ Galles.

            Casketbearers will be Gary Pick, Dave Harnack, Jeff Pick, Andy Pick, Lee Harpenau, Eric Harpenau, Mike Harpenau, Tony Schroeder.