Althea L. Jonas, 97, of Sioux City, died on Monday, Nov. 18, 2013, at her home.
Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. The Rev. Armand Bertrand will officiate. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a parish vigil service at 7 p.m., at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home.
Althea was born on Jan. 8, 1916, in Gross, Neb., the daughter of Ignatius and Ila (Domina) Cressy. She was raised on a farm in the Hartington and Coleridge, Neb., area. She graduated from Hartington High School.
She married Walter V. Jonas on Dec. 25, 1935, in Omaha. They were married for 77 years.
She was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and the church altar society. She prayed the rosary and attended Mass daily. Althea enjoyed sewing, cooking and taking care of her family. After Walter retired they enjoyed traveling and spending the winters in Palm Springs, Calif.
Althea is survived by her husband, Walt; 11 children, Patricia Gibson of College Station, Texas, Richard (Bonnie) Jonas of Sioux City, Marilyn "Jean" (Michael) O’Connor of Sioux City, Betty (Jim) Laddusaw of Spencer, Iowa, Robert (Dawn) Jonas of Rolling Hills, Calif., David (Marilyn) Jonas of Mansfield, Texas, Judy (Bob) Yeager of Rogers, Minn., William Jonas of Fairfax, Va., Mary Jo Goebel of Kansas City, Mo., Alan (Regina) Jonas of Troy, Mich., and Karen (Ralph) Hecht of Merrill, Iowa; 54 grandchildren; 85 great-grandchildren; and 18 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Gary; a daughter, Nancy; her sister, Freda Hahn; an infant brother; two grandchildren, Katherine Goebel and Karen Jonas; and sons-in-law, Bill Gibson and Steve Goebel.
The family wishes to thank the five women who helped care for Althea for the last six months.