Colleen Obrecht
October 03, 2015
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Service Details
Colleen Obrecht, 66, was born to Thayne and Opal (Nielsen) Obrecht on August 2, 1949 in Mason City. She passed away at Unity Point Health Des Moines Methodist Saturday, October 3, 2015.
Colleen graduated from Meservey-Thornton High School in 1967. While in high school she participated in 4H, softball, basketball and shot put. She enjoyed playing softball and basketball with her sisters and at one time the Obrecht girls made up a large portion of the team. She also showed Holstein cattle at both the Franklin County Fair and the North Iowa Fair.
After graduation, Colleen went to the Humboldt Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota where she studied Airline Customer Service. Following graduation, she immediately moved to Peoria, Illinois and began working for Ozark Airlines as a reservation agent.
Her airline adventure took her to Illinois, Missouri and finally returned her back home to Iowa. She had worked for Ozark Airlines, Trans World Airline (TWA), American Airlines and American Eagle Airlines. She had been in the airline industry for over 45 years. She was a reservation agent, a ticket agent and she worked the weight and balances of the airplane among many other jobs.
When the airline industry turned and the company that she was working for sold, she went to work at Wells Fargo. She worked at Wells Fargo for 14 years, where she was a collection agent.
Colleen was an avid Cubs fan and on summer nights could be found at the Iowa Cubs game or cheering on the Chicago Cubs on TV. She would even get upset if the Chicago Cubs were blacked out on her TV. She had her favorite players and would cheer them on the loudest. If you called her during the game, she would give you a play by play.
Colleen loved all her friends and family. Many can attest that Colleen was the ray of sunshine in the room and was the positive attitude that would shine through even the darkest moments. Colleen was dedicated to her job, family and her friends. Colleen loved to spend time with her two granddaughters and teach them the skills that her mother and grandmother taught her.
Colleen is survived by her daughter, Ashlee (Adam) Wilson; her granddaughters, Morgan and Michelle Wilson; siblings, Audrene Hansen, Maureen (Jerry) Modderman, Jacqualine (Gary) Dirks, Martha Statlander, Mary (Paul) Schlichting and Jeffrey (Becky Parrish) Obrecht; numerous nieces and nephews; a host of aunts, uncles, extended family members and many beloved friends. She was preceded in death by her parents.
The family will greet friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at Hamilton’s Southtown Funeral Home, 5400 SW 9th Street as well as 9-10 a.m. Thursday, October 8, 2015 at Westkirk Presbyterian Church, 2700 Colby Woods Drive in Urbandale. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, October 8, 2015 at the church. Colleen will be laid to rest beside her parents at 2 p.m. at Pleasant View Township Cemetery in Thornton, Iowa.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the family to be dispersed amongst a few charities dear to Colleen’s heart.
Condolences may be expressed at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com
Michelle Downey
10/20/2015
I was Colleen's cashier at Hy-Vee. I very much enjoyed her positive outlook on life, no matter what was going on in her life. I do believe she was living life to the fullest through her children, she was so proud of everything she was able to do for them even if it was just supper. She was a absolute delight to see. I just found out that she had passed, I am truly sorry and will add your family to our prayers. I can smile knowing that heaven gained an Angel. May God be with you. Colleen you will be missed!!
Joan Oelkers
10/09/2015
So sorry for your loss, may Collen rest in peace.
Joan Oelkers
Roger Behn
10/09/2015
Just found out about Colleen's passing and are very sorry for your loss. I remember showing cattle with her and her sisters and brother at the Franklin Co. Fair. I remember the great time we had at the fair. With regrets, Roger Behn
Robert Messelheiser
10/08/2015
So sorry for your loss. I hadn't see Collen since high school and was flying out of Des Moines years ago. Next thing Colleen came into the passenger section of the aircraft and moved me right up to first class! So nice of her, one could tell
she loved her job. IN OUR PRAYERS!
Paul W. Kurt
10/08/2015
Dear Audrene, Please accept my heartfelt sorrow with you at the loss of dear Colleen. She was so very kind, and often expressed to me her joy at the cards Evelyn sent. A very strong sinus cold kept me from the visitations and service, which I regret. May God hold you close to His Heart. With kindest regards, Paul W. Kurtz
Hope
10/07/2015
Ashlee and family. So sorry about the loss of your mother. She was such a a enjoyable person to be around when in the store. She was always saying she was there to get things for her "girls."I know she will be greatly missed. Just know she loved you very much.
Roberta Boelman Donahue
10/06/2015
Went to school with Colleen and played sports with her. Lots of memories of high school and basketball. Family was always so important to her, my deepest sympathies to entire family. RIP, Roberta
Rhonda Johnson
10/06/2015
RIP Colleen, I am so happy Adam brought you and Ashlee into our lives and then our family. I will so miss you at all our family gatherings and holidays. Peace be with you. Rhonda
Daniel Damico
10/06/2015
To the Family & Friends of Colleen,
My deepest condolences for your loss. I had the honor of working with Colleen and will miss her smile, laugh and conversations. She was not just a coworker but a friend and will be missed. Words cannot express exactly how we feel or hurt, but I pray for peace and comfort to you all.
Gary W. Hansen
10/06/2015
Dear cousins,
I just learned of "Cokie's" passing. I want to extend my deepest sympathy to all of her family. Some of my earliest childhood memories include those Sunday afternoons when our families would get together--Jeff and me and our (combined) ten sisters! It was so good to see her at the family reunion in 2013 and then at Dad's "homegoing" in 2014. May God bless and comfort you all with sweet and precious memories of your time together. You're in my thoughts and prayers. I love you!
Gary W. Hansen, Tallahassee, FL
russalyn
10/06/2015
So sorry to hear of Colleen's passing. A former classmate and I will remember her as I last saw her at our class reunion in Thornton.
RIP!
Richard Chism
10/06/2015
I was fortunate to work with Colleen at Ozark Air Lines when we were both kids in the 1970's. Colleen had a warmth and a laugh that could fill an airport. Her Midwestern work ethic was an asset to everyone she worked with and for. Rest in God's arms old friend.
Dianne Pantier
10/05/2015
RIP Colleen. Met her when I moved to DSM. She with AA and I with UA. Found out that she was my husband's Bill favorite agent from TWA. She was fond of him too. She knew her job well, polite, & gracious. In our thoughts & prayers!
Marilyn Monroe, OZA
10/05/2015
I also worked at Ozark Air Lines with Cokie, she was a fun person, always smiling. We were all looking forward to seeing her again at our last reunion but it was not to be...
A great gal who will be missed by every person who knew her...
Condolences to the family!
Kay Summers
10/05/2015
So sorry to hear this very sad news of the loss of Colleen. She was a sweet and honorable lady. It has been many years since I saw Colleen while working at Ozark Airlines but remember her dearly. May God be with her family and bless them with many memory!