Annetta Katz

Annetta Kay Katz age 77 of New Hampton, IA, died Friday, November 6, 2020, at New Hampton Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. Funeral Services will be held in person for family and close friends at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, November 14, 2020, at Redeemer Lutheran Church in New Hampton, with Rev. Peter Faugstad officiating. All others are invited to please join the family on Facebook Live at 10:30 a.m. November 14, 2020, on the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home Facebook page. For those attending in person, it is strongly recommended to practice social distancing and wear face masks to both the funeral and visitation. Friends may greet the family from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Friday, November 13, 2020, at Hugeback - Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Annetta Katz was born on Feb. 18, 1943, to Orvin and Janette (Haugsted) Knutson in New Hampton and she grew up on a farm in the Schley area, where she went to country school before attending what was then known as Cresco High School. While in high school, Annetta met Earl "Buster" Katz, and the two fell in love and were married on Feb. 20, 1960, beginning a 60-year marriage filled with love and happy memories. The couple welcomed four children — Brenda, Cindy, Dawn, and Joshua — Annetta loved being a wife and a mother. She was “super fun,” loved to laugh and joke, and was just about the sweetest woman you’ll ever meet. Annetta was not afraid of hard work. In early years, she worked at the Crystal Grill, then later worked providing day-care in her home for a number of years, in addition to providing help with household duties for many in her community. About the time Josh began attending kindergarten, she took a job as a cook at New Hampton Elementary School. It was the perfect job for Annetta because she could become a “mother hen” to hundreds of children each school year. In short, her heart was enormous when it came to children. Buster raced stock cars in the 1970s, and Annetta spent many a weekend at the track with her daughters and extended family, supporting her husband from the retired school bus he had refurbished into a car hauler/camper so his girls could also be there to cheer him on. When she was home, she made the best pies, "Mema" or "Grandma's" rolls and jello cakes for birthdays and special occasions. Annetta had a close bond with her sisters — Betty, Joan, and Pam — and it was always a special time when they were together with lots of laughs, fun and memories created and shared. She loved her children, but Annetta absolutely adored her grandchildren. She’d drop everything to spend time with Chantal, Eddie, Alli, Claire, Wesley, Hope, and Owen. If there was a way to make a sporting event or school activity, Annetta would find it.... in addition to making sure it found it's way into the newspaper. Annetta loved meeting her first great-grandchild, Ricki Joe and would have loved the chance to spend time adoring both of her great-grandchildren. Proud doesn’t begin to describe her feelings for her grandkids and her greats. In later years, Annetta found a church home at Redeemer Lutheran Church in New Hampton, and she called it the right place for her at the right time. She didn’t have a mean bone in her body, and what her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends will always remember is that Annetta had the sweetest demeanor. Few, if any, can remember ever seeing Annetta angry. Her pies, special rolls, and Jello cakes will be missed, but more than anything, those who knew and cherished Annetta will miss the unconditional love she gave them. Annetta is survived by her husband of sixty years, Earl "Buster" Katz of New Hampton, IA; three daughters, Brenda (Jeff) Hanna of Clear Lake, IA, Cindy (Kent) Christensen of Keller, TX, Dawn (Billy Edgar) Katz of Elma, IA; one son, Joshua (Jessica) Katz of Kernersville, NC; seven grandchildren, Chantal (Matthew Glenn) Denner, Eddie (Emma) Denner, Claire Christensen, Alli Denner, Wesley Christensen, Hope Katz, and Owen Katz; two great-grandchildren, Ricki Joe Glenn, James Carol Denner; three sisters, Betty (Gary) Cleveland of Thornton, IA, Joan Sebastian of Cresco, IA, Pam Darland of Cresco, IA. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother-in-law, Wayne Sebastian; nephew, Kyle Darland.