Rachel Jessie Yungeberg

HAWARDEN, IOWA ~ Rachel Jessie Yungeberg, 92, of Hawarden, passed away on Saturday, August 26, 2023, at Hillcrest Health Care Services in Hawarden.

   Funeral Service will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, September 1, 2023, at the Associated Church in Hawarden with Pastor Jean Layton officiating. Burial will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Ireton, Iowa followed by a luncheon at the Ireton Community Center. Visitation with the family will be from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Friday at the church and also at the luncheon. The Porter Funeral Home is assisting the family.

   Her family requests memorials be directed to the Associated Church in Hawarden, Hillcrest Health Care Services Activity Fund in Hawarden, or St. Croix Hospice in Sioux City.

   Rachel was born September 4, 1930, (She always said she was born the day the banks closed!) to Jess and Mable (Fox) Volentine at home on a farm north of Burt, Iowa.

   She graduated from Lone Rock High School in 1947. Rachel married Harry Dale Yungeberg on July 10, 1949, at the Presbyterian Church in Algona, Iowa. Three children were born to this union, Nancy Ailene, Marilyn Lee, and Ernest Dale.

  She enjoyed crocheting, sewing, (making lots of matching dresses for the girls) and making blankets for her children and grandchildren. Rachel also liked putting puzzles together, playing cards, doing crafts, and taking care of the grandkids. She could whip up a meal on a minute’s notice! Her drink of choice was good strong fresh hot coffee!

   Rachel clerked a lot of house sales with her auctioneer husband Dale in Algona and the surrounding area. In 1965, they moved to Platte, South Dakota, then to Hawarden, Iowa in 1967. She worked at Swanson’s Hardware, Coast to Coast, and Coilcraft.

   After breaking her hip, she entered Hillcrest Health Care Services in October 2016. Mom loved playing Bingo at the care center and of course winning! She also loved all the games and entertainment. Rachel’s favorite place to be was sitting in the entryway of Hillcrest and watching who came in, usually with her leg over the arm of the rocking chair! We appreciate all the love and care given to her at Hillcrest; her care givers, her birthday twin nurse Hillary, Lisa Millage, and the whole staff at Hillcrest. Also, many thanks to Katie from St. Croix Hospice, she helped us greatly with meds, concern, and visits with mom through this point in her life.

   Rachel is survived by: her daughters, Nancy (Marlin) Eilts of Ireton, Iowa and Marilyn (Dennis) Plueger of Le Mars, Iowa and son, Ernie (Mary) Yungeberg of Valley Springs, South Dakota; her sister, Delores (Leroy) Thilges of Algona; sister-in-law,  Marie Volentine of Council Bluffs, Iowa; grandchildren, Scott (Shahin) Eilts, Christopher (Shauna) Eilts, and Brett (Jolynne) Eilts; Chad (Shelly) Plueger, Jeromy (fiancée Kelly) Plueger, Brian (Alisha) Plueger, and Katie Detloff; Christopher (Heather) Yungeberg and Michael (Katie) Yungeberg; 22 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; also survived by many loving nieces and nephews; good friends, Linda Waterman and Harlan and Linda Van Egdom.

   Preceding her in death were her husband Dale of 64 years in 2014; parents, Jess and Mabel Volentine; sisters, Vivian (Robert) Leininger and Darlene (Durwood) Rutledge; brother, Donald Volentine; brother-in-law, Robert Dodds; niece, Cathie Rutledge; and three nephews, Dean Leininger, Gerald Leininger, and Timothy Volentine; also Dale’s siblings, Ray (Velma), Jane (Ralph) Drinen, Theresa Ovellete, Wanda as a young child, and two infant siblings.