Coletta Marie Geerts

Coletta Marie Geerts age 94 of New Hampton, IA, died Thursday, May 28, 2026, at New Hampton Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Holy Family Parish, New Hampton, with Rev. Chris Podhajsky celebrating the Mass. Interment will be held at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Alta Vista.

Friends are invited to greet the family from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Monday, June 1, 2026, at Hugeback – Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton, where there will be a 7:00 p.m. parish scripture service. Visitation continues one hour before the Mass at the church on Tuesday.

Coletta Marie Schwickerath was born October 21^st of 1931 in New Hampton at St. Joseph Hospital to William Schwickerath and Rose (Rosonke) Schwickerath.   Coletta grew up attending a traditional Iowa rural schoolhouse, North Washington Catholic school.  That school had only a water bucket in class for drinking and an outhouse behind it. Attending daily mass at the school chapel and having lunches of bread and jelly with an apple many of her schoolhouse days.  On occasions when money was sparse, they would pay her book bill with homegrown produce.  Coletta fondly remembered her younger sister, Imelda, crying when Coletta would leave for school without her.

Her days at home were not without note. Early days consisted of playing games of fox and goose,  and hide and seek with her siblings while her parents milked cows. Also creating toys with various everyday objects like old piano keys.  Life on the farm was not all games, as they grew older Coletta and her siblings would assist with all chores around the farm. Feeding the cattle, milking them too, feeding chickens and gathering the eggs, planting gardens and fields and gathering the produce and crops.  Another daily chore was bringing in wood for the stove which was their only source of heat for cooking and keeping warm in the colder months.  Coletta remembered her mother Rose would cook many meals of potatoes and meat on that stove for her, her brothers and sisters and William.

As her teenage years approached so progressed other chores like, washing clothes with lye soap and a washboard, watching the youngest siblings, helping with the cooking and baking and starting to get “sent out” to help other families to earn money.  At 13 Coletta started by helping at relatives’ houses. At 15 she worked for the George Huegel family cooking, cleaning and helping care for their small children.  Coletta also worked for the Lawrence Boggess family doing much of the same.

Tragedy struck  on June 14^th 1950, when riding home from a dance in Alta Vista when her brother Gerald lost control of the car he was driving with Coletta, and their sisters Imelda and Elaine.  The car rolled and Elaine was trapped under the car.   Tragically Elaine passed away due to her injuries and Coletta, Gerald, and Imelda were taken to St. Josephs hospital where Coletta remained for several days.  Shortly after recovering she would go to work for the George O’Donnell family in New Hampton.  Coletta would live part-time at the O’Donnell home while helping cook, clean and attend to the children.   

Coletta would meet Daniel Geerts at a dance in North Washington.   Dan and Coletta’s first date was a movie in Elma, visiting the Boggess home and the home of Quentin Brus.  Dan and Coletta would continue their courtship attending movies and going to dances around the area.   Many times, attending with Virgil and Monica (Geerts) Marvin, also with Quentin and Mildred Brus. Dan would be drafted to serve in the Korean war.  While Dan was serving in Korea, Coletta would continue to correspond with Dan and work for the O’Donnell family.   Dan would be released from service in September of 1954.   Dan would propose with a diamond ring and a surprise bridal shower at the O’Donnell home.  Coletta and Daniel would wed on Tuesday November 16^th 1954 at the Immaculate Conception Church in North Washington.  Followed by a dance at the town hall in Alta Vista.   Honeymooning was visiting the home of Louis and aunt Emma (Rosonke) Elgroth in Sauk Center, Minnesota, and the home of Freddy and Albina Geerts in Regent, North Dakota.

Coletta and Dan lived with Dan’s parents, Theodore and Margeret Geerts, and Dan’s sister Mabel Geerts for several weeks until they took residence at the family farm south of Alta Vista.  Coletta and Dan would take over the farm and they would raise cattle, hogs, chickens, corn, oats, and kids.  Coletta and Dan would welcome into their house 8 children, Jeanne Marie – 1956, Ali Mae – 1957, Leon Joseph – 1958, Norbert Anthony – 1960, Karen Ann – 1963, Janet Marie and Janice Mary – 1966, and Kevin John – 1971.

Daniel and Coletta would socialize by playing Euchre and 500.  Hosting and attending many “card parties”, going to dances for weddings and anniversaries. Coletta loved family time with her siblings and they all grew together.  Whether traveling to visit Dan’s cousin Freddy in South Dakota or her sisters in Minnesota and West Union.  They were also active in church attending St. Bernards in Alta Vista and later at St Josephs in New Hampton.  Coletta was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America for over 30 years. Later in their years they would start to take part in taking communion to the homebound which led them into volunteering for hospice.  Visiting patients at their homes and hospitals to minister.  All through the years Coletta and Dan would fill any space in between with fishing, canning, baking and chasing their 22 grandchildren and even 33 great grandchildren.

Coletta and Dan fished, danced and prayed together for 66 ½  years until Daniels passing on June 1^st2021.  Coletta would remain until her passing entertaining any guest with stories of days past and love shared.  Always ready for a game of Euchre with her friends or family. Coletta passed away on May 28^th2026 at New Hampton Nursing and Rehab Center at 94 years of age.

Coletta is survived by her Children Jeanne (David) Roder, Ali (Dan)Mackey, Leon (Liz)Geerts, Norbert Geerts, Karen (Dan) Schneider, Janice (Don) Burgart, Janet Miller, & Kevin (Tracy)Geerts.  Her Siblings Jane Schwickerath and Joe (Rose Ann) Schwickerath.

Coletta was preceded in death by her parents William and Rose Schwickerath. Siblings, Elaine Scwickerath, Norma (Warren)Tuttle, Imelda Schmitt, Imogene (Howard) Attig, Gerald (Marilyn) Scwickerath, Denis (Rosemary) Schwickerath and two grandchildren Mason Geerts and Samson Zubrod.

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