Lois Lorraine Gaede

Lois L. Gaede age 85 of Fredericksburg, IA, died Thursday, February 20, 2025, at the Hillcrest Home in Sumner, IA surrounded by family.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, February 27, 2025, at Peace United Church of Christ, Fredericksburg, with Pastor Scott Smith presiding.  Interment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, Fredericksburg.

Friends may greet the family 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in Fredericksburg.  Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.

Lois Lorraine Gaede was born April 28, 1939, in Tripoli, IA; the daughter of Donald and Doris (Hill) Young.  Her early education was in Tripoli and Fredericksburg which laid a strong foundation for the values of hard work and devotion to family that would define her life.

On a summer’s day, June 7, 1957, Lois united in marriage with Melvin Gaede at Peace United Church of Christ in Fredericksburg. The couple was blessed with six children, and Lois embraced her role as a homemaker with boundless love and dedication. Her nurturing spirit not only flourished within the walls of her home but extended into her professional life as well. Lois joined the team at the former Sunrise Guest Home in Fredericksburg, where she began as a dietary aid and later shared her talents as the cook, touching many lives with her kindness and her knack for comfort food.

Lois’s interests and talents were as rich and varied as the tapestry of her life. With nimble fingers and an eye for detail, she created beautiful pieces through sewing, knitting, and cross-stitching—each stitch a testament to her patience and creativity. She found joy in the quiet rhythm of quilting in her basement, stitching together warmth and love for those she cherished. A lover of games and good company, she found joy in the camaraderie and gentle competition of playing cards with friends and family.

Music held a special place in Lois’s heart, a passion evident to all who knew her, from the rich tones of a country song to the lively rhythms of the morning polka show.

Her husband, Melvin, preceded her in death on June 3, 1994, but the love and partnership they shared continued to inspire those who were witness to their bond.

Survivors include three daughters, Rachel Havens of New Hampton, Nancy (Allen) Goodenbour of Sumner, Sarah (Jason) Jepperson of Nashua and one son Terry (Janet) Gaede of Carlsbad, New Mexico; twelve grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren; sister, Donna Manweiler of Sumner; four half-sisters; three step-brothers; one step-sister.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two sons, Dexter  and Cedric Gaede; a grandson, Loren Havens; son-in-law, Les Havens; one half-brother and one half-sister.