Margaret “Peggy” Ann Rakel
RAKEL, KLARE, HOFF, SALIK, ZAJICEK, LEGENDRE, MEANS
Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 9/11/2021 at 12:24:51
Peggy Rakel, 88, of Iowa City, IA, former resident of Houston, Texas, passed away peacefully September 5, 2021 at Oaknoll Health Care Center.
Margaret “Peggy” Ann was born April 20, 1933 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Albert and Hilda Klare. She grew up in Cincinnati, graduating from St. Mary’s High School. She attended Our Lady of Cincinnati for one year and then St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing, graduating with her nursing degree in 1954.
She married the love of her life, Robert E. Rakel on August 20, 1955 in Cincinnati, Ohio and they spent more than 66 loving and adventurous years together. The couple settled in Iowa City early on before moving to Houston, Texas, where they lived for close to 30 years. Peggy was a Registered Nurse for 4 years, working at The Jewish Hospital to put Bob through medical school. In nursing school, Peggy had close friends who she stayed in contact with the rest of her life. They called themselves “The Cream of the Crop”.
Peggy was active in her community throughout her life. She was a member of PEO and engaged in a variety of charity and volunteer work. Peggy also assisted her husband with his medical publishing and was proud of Bob’s accomplishments in the medical field. While she would never take credit, everyone recognized her significant contributions to his success.
Peggy and Bob spent their free time on their boat in Clinton, IA and Clear Lake, TX where she served as his “first mate” on numerous trips and weekend excursions. If you knew Peggy, you knew that she enjoyed entertaining others, was a fabulous host, and was known for telling a joke or two. She lit up the room with her smile and personality.
Peggy and Bob moved to Oaknoll in 2014 to be closer to their daughter and close friends. She enjoyed time with friends and they would get together for dinner every Saturday night. When she moved to the Health Care Center, she was known as “the greeter” because she would wave to everyone who passed by her room.
She adored her grandchildren more than anything and was thrilled when she became a great grandma to her one great granddaughter. She will be missed as a devoted wife, supportive mother, loving grandmother and great-grandmother, caring aunt and generous friend.
She is survived by her husband Dr. Robert Rakel of Iowa City, IA; two daughters Barbara Rakel Hoff (Thomas Hoff) of Iowa City, IA, and Linda (Ron) Salik of Tucson, AZ; one son David (Denise) Rakel of Madison, WI; 10 grandchildren Matthew (Kim) Zajicek, Andrew Zajicek, Laura Hoff, Joseph Hoff, Shelby LeGendre, Robbie LeGendre, Emme LeGendre, Justin Rakel, Sarah (Adam) Means and Lucas Rakel; and one great-granddaughter Rosie Zajicek. She was preceded in death by her parents and her daughter Cindy Zajicek.
A gathering time for friends and family will be held this Saturday, September 11th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service, 605 Kirkwood Avenue, Iowa City, where a time of sharing will begin at 11:00 a.m. The time of sharing will be live-streamed for those who cannot attend. Please go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81225708124 to join her family via zoom. Private burial will be held at Oakland Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Oaknoll Retirement Residence or the University of Iowa College of Nursing.
Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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