Mary Gebel

Mary Agnes Gebel age 92 of New Hampton, IA, died Tuesday, October 30, 2018, at the Muse-Norris Hospice House in Mason City. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, November 2, 2018, at Holy Family Parish, New Hampton with Rev. Brian Dellaert celebrating the Mass. The pall will be placed by her children. Kelli Mitchell and, Katie Gebel and Angie Gebel will bring forward the offertory gifts. Jody Kline and Stacy Friedrich will serve as lectors. Interment will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, New Hampton with Nathan Gebel, Jared Gebel, Brad Friedrich, Aaron Kline, Larry Lensing and Jake Mitchell. Friends may greet the family 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Thursday at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home in New Hampton where there will be a 6:30 p.m. parish scripture service. Visitation continues an hour prior to the Mass at the church on Friday. Mary Agnes Gebel was born August 29, 1926, on the Blong family farm near Lawler, IA, the daughter of Louis and Elizabeth (Balk) Blong. She received her education at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School in Lawler, graduating in 1944. After graduation she attended business college in Dubuque, followed by working at John Deere in Waterloo and the bakery in New Hampton. On September 5, 1950, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Lawler, Mary was united in marriage to LeRoy Gebel. LeRoy’s family had been neighbors to the Blongs while they lived on the farm. To this union, six children were born. Mary and LeRoy farmed between New Hampton and Lawler for over 42 years, before they moved into New Hampton in 2000. Mary had a passion for cooking and baking for her large family. She also loved the show “I Love Lucy”. She had many cats on the farm that she loved and cared for. She and LeRoy also enjoyed going to many area dances and were always ready to play a game of cards. Mary was a member of the Catholic Daughters of the America’s and was a charter member of the Putter Pals Neighborhood Club. More than anything, she loved her family and spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Survivors include three sons, Steve Gebel of Ionia, Jim (Eileen) Gebel of New Hampton and Gerard (Mary) Gebel of Cedar Falls; two daughters, Pam (Gary) Gilbert of Mason City and Paulette (Tony) Villhauer of Iowa City; eight grandchildren, Angela Gilbert, Kelli (Jake) Mitchell, Nathan (Tammie) Gebel, Lori (Larry) Lensing, Katie Gebel, Stacy (Brad) Friedrich, Jody (Aaron) Kline and Jared Gebel; ten great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, LeRoy in 2009; her son, Larry Gebel in 2010; three sisters, Arlene Blong, Patricia Ondrashek and Edna Reicks; three brothers, Louis Blong, Cletus Blong and Cyril Blong.