Obituary of Martha Gegenheimer

Martha Gegenheimer, 97 of Coralville, Iowa passed away unexpectedly Friday, April 17, 2009, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 24, 2009 at Gay & Ciha Funeral Service in Iowa City with burial, next to her husband, at Oxford Cemetery in Oxford, Iowa. Visitation will be from 4 to 7pm Thursday at the funeral home. A memorial fund has been established in Martha’s memory. Online condolences may be sent for her family through the web at www.gayandciha.com. Martha Gegenheimer was born February 22, 1912 in Iowa City, the daughter of Fred and Jessie (Beltz) Huffman. She graduated from Iowa City High School in 1929 and attended the University of Iowa for several years. Martha worked at Northwestern Bell Telephone Company prior to her marriage to Thomas Charles Gegenheimer in 1939. They raised two children, a son, Thomas Leroy and a daughter, Nancy. In 1940, they moved from the Iowa City area to raise their family in Ottumwa, Iowa, returning to Iowa City in 1976 to enjoy retirement. Martha’s husband Tom passed away in 1986. Martha was a member of Eastern Star and White Shrine in Ottumwa. She was active in the Iowa City Senior Center for many years and belonged to the Red Hat Society as well as several card groups. Her family includes her children and their spouses, Tom (Janice) Gegenheimer of Arizona and their daughter, Kristen; Nancy (Tom) House of Illinois and their children, Chris (Candi) of Minnesota, Michelle (Zac) of Missouri, five great-grandchildren, Madison, Taylor, Kiley, Sydney and Jackson; and a sister, Marjorie Wellman of Burlington. She was preceded in death by a brother, Lyle Huffman and two sisters, LaVae Sueppel and Mae Gioimo. Gay & Ciha Funeral Service is caring for Martha’s family and her services.