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Note: Estella "Stella" Boettger - Age 101 Estella Josephine Petsche, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Jacoby Petsche was born April 17, 1909, on a farm south of Westphalia, Iowa; one of ten children. She was baptized and confirmed at St Boniface Catholic Church in Westphalia. She attended Lincoln Township Country School, St. Boniface Catholic School and grew to adulthood on the family farm. When she was eight she had her appendix removed by the doctor on the dining room table at the farm. After finishing school, she worked at a coffee shop in Harlan. She was united in marriage to William (Bill) Boettger on September 15, 1937 at St. Michael?s Parsonage in Harlan, Iowa. After their marriage, Bill and Estella made their home on a farm west of Harlan. Estella always had a large garden where the products of her labor could be seen in her fruit cellar. She stored canned fruits and vegetable and made her own V-8 juice. She also raised chickens as well as Tuber Roses. Other pastimes she enjoyed were tatting, embroidering, and crocheting. Traveling was also an important pastime for Bill and Estella. They traveled to most of the United States and went to three Rose Bowl Games. When Bill retired from farming in 1970, they continued to make their home on the farm. After Bill?s death on August 12, 1990, Estella continued to reside on the farm and raised her garden until 2007. In January of 2008, Estella became a resident of Elm Crest Retirement Community in Harlan where she died on July 30, 2010 at the age of one hundred one years, three months and thirteen days. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her siblings: George, Tony, Leo, Frank, John, Agnes Chamberlain, Cecelia Schwery, and Mike. Stella is survived by her brother Lawrence Petsche and his wife Helen and her sister-in-law Helen Petsche all of Harlan; many nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends. Msgr. Bob Chamberlain celebrated the 11:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday, August 3, 2010, at St. Michael?s Catholic Church in Harlan, Iowa. Serving as casket bearers were Al Chamberlain, Andrew Boettger, Bill Boettger, Mark Schwery, George Petsche, and Neil Petsche. Interment was held at the Harlan Cemetery.
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