Lucille Gappa

Lucille Gappa, 86, of Ashton, died Wednesday, April 8, 2009, at the Howard County Community Hospital in St. Paul, as the result of a motor vehicle accident. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Ashton. The Rev. Marty Egging will officiate. Burial will be in the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Paplin. Visitation will be Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the church, with a 7 p.m. vigil service. Peters Funeral Home of Loup City is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Gappa was born on Feb. 27, 1923, on the family farm south of Ashton, the daughter of George and Stella (Maciejewski) Dymek. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edwin Gappa. She is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Jean and Raymond Stenka of Ainsworth, Diane and Mike Chelewski of Arcadia, and Donna and Dennis Fells of Mulvane, KS; two sons and daughters-in-law, Norman and Phyllis Gappa of Ashton and Richard and Donna Gappa of Grand Island; and two sisters, Rose Jarzynka of Loup City and Marian Maschka of Englewood, CO. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren. Lucille attended District No. 54 rural school and the St. Francis Parochial School in Ashton. She later moved to Chicago, where she worked at the Chicago Mail Order Company and also worked as a housekeeper. She was united in marriage to Edwin Gappa on Feb. 14, 1942, in Chicago. While Edwin served in the military, she returned to Ashton. Upon his discharge, the couple farmed north of Ashton their entire married lives. Edwin died on July 19, 2000, and Lucille continued to live on the farm the rest of her life. She was a former member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church and a current member of St. Francis Catholic Church and its Council of Catholic Women. She was also a member of the DCCW and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 108 of Ashton. She enjoyed cooking, baking pies, gardening, embroidering, sewing, polka music, dancing, puzzle books, crafts and family gatherings. In addition to her husband, Edwin, she was preceded in death by her parents; infant granddaughter, Rae Jean Stenka; three sisters, Stella Moraczewski, Domicella Jarzynka and Celia Ignowski; and five brothers, Hubert, Albert, Harry, Daniel and Edwin Dymek. Memorials are suggested to the family’s choice.