Iva Mae (O’Brien) Fratzke

BEATTY, BEYER, CHRISTENSEN, FOLAND, FRATZKE, O’BRIEN, MELKA, ZIESER

Posted By: Cindy (email)
Date: 10/12/2016 at 20:29:13

Iva Mae (O’Brien) Fratzke, 93, of Independence, Iowa died on Friday, September 16, 2016 at the Buchanan County Health Center following a brief illness.

She was born on March 25, 1923 in Waterloo, Iowa the daughter of Thomas Edward and Lelia Alice (Beyer) O’Brien. She moved to Otterville, Iowa at the age of three and started Sunday school at the Otterville Presbyterian Church. Her family later moved to the O’Brien Farm west of Otterville and she started school that fall at the Perry #6 Country School. In 1940 she graduated from the Jesup High School, Jesup, Iowa.

Iva met Louie Albert Fratzke at a dance in Jesup, Iowa, and they were married on July 1, 1944 at the Otterville Presbyterian Church. Iva and Louie were very active in the Senior Center in Independence where the organized the Hoedowns dance club in 1995. She served on the Area Council on Aging and was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Independence. The couple enjoyed doing things together especially traveling in their RV, dancing, and helping family and friends everywhere they went.

Her greatest enjoyment was found in her family, babysitting, baking cookies, and preparing big dinners for the family on holidays and all family gatherings.

She is survived by three children; Becky (Ken) Christensen, Independence, IA; Thomas (Tammy) Fratzke, Milan, Illinois; and Mike (Shelly) Fratzke, Independence, IA. Seven grandchildren; Chris Christensen, Jodie Zieser, Marty and Andy Fratzke, Jenni, Samatha and Tina Fratzke, and nine great grandchildren. A sister; Darlene Beatty, Independence, IA, and three brothers; Floyd (Bink) O’Brien, Ashville, NC, Dick O’Brien, Independence, IA, and Pat O’Brien, Prescott, AZ.

Iva was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Louis in 2002, a grandson; Scott Foland Fratzke, a sister; Mary Lou Melka, and a brother; Harvey O’Brien.

Funeral services will be held at 11 AM Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at the First United Methodist Church, Independence, IA with Rev. Scott Meador officiating. Burial will be in the Mt. Hope Cemetery, In Independence. Friends may call from 4 to 8 PM Monday at the Reiff Funeral Home & Crematory in Independence, and from 9 AM till services Tuesday at the Church.