Starla Mae Schuster, 89, of Dyersville, Iowa passed away, surrounded by her loving family, on Monday, June 19, 2017 at 6:24 p.m. at Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque, Iowa.
Friends and relatives of Starla may call from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, June 22, 2017 at Reiff Funeral Home in Dyersville, Iowa, where a wake service will be held at 2:30 p.m. and the Catholic Daughters of America St. Rose Court #350 rosary at 4:30 p.m. Friends may also call after 9:00 a.m. on Friday at the funeral home.
Services for Starla will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, June 23, 2017 at the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville, Iowa, with Rev. Dennis Quint officiating. Burial will be held in St. Francis Cemetery in Dyersville.
Starla was born in Dyersville on April 7, 1928, daughter of Frank D. Maiers and Barbara (Stronck) Maiers, both of whom belonged to a community of immigrants from the country of Luxembourg in Europe. Starla grew up on the family farm just north of Dyersville with her parents, sister and two brothers. She attended Xavier High School, where she was Class President and graduated as Salutatorian in 1946. After high school, she attended Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, Iowa.
Starla married Harold W. Schuster on June 16, 1949, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Dyersville. Together they raised eight children, ran a family hardware business, proudly supported Catholic education at St. Francis Xavier Elementary School and Beckman High School and thoroughly enjoyed summers with their children and many of their friends and neighbors at the cabin they built at Lake Delhi.
She was actively involved in the community and enjoyed many activities while raising her children. She devoted over 30 years of service to the following organizations: Catholic Daughters of America St. Rose Court #350, Beckman Endowment Fund (Treasurer), Girl Scouts of America (Troop Leader) and Democratic Caucus (Leader and Election Poll Supervisor). She also worked at First National Bank in her early years and as a Home Certified Nurse Aide later in life. She was an avid Iowa Hawkeye and Beckman Trailblazer fan, Scrabble champion and displayed an amazing talent for nurturing beautiful plants and flowers.
She is survived by seven children: Barbara (James) Maiers, of Dubuque, Jeffrey Schuster, of Jinhua, China, Joan (David) Elenz, of Dyersville, Susan (Dr. Christopher) Okechukwu, of Paramus, NJ, John (Jen) Schuster, of San Francisco, CA, Joseph (Jeanette) Schuster of Chesterfield, MO, and Ann (Christopher) Hollins, of Westfield, NJ; 18 grandchildren: Dr. Kelli (Michael) Petronis, Dr. Timothy (Heather) Maiers, Dr. Kerri (Dr. Andrew) Nowell, Dr. Michael (Christy) Maiers, Darin Oeter, Chelsea Mathis, Sharon Okechukwu, Laura Okechukwu, Alan Okechukwu, Anna Ruiz, Hannah Schuster, Emily Schuster, Owen Schuster; Jacob Schuster, Samantha Schuster; Ava Hollins, Gabriella Hollins and Noah Hollins; 16 great-grandchildren: Brody, Brooke and Ashley Petronis; Trever, Trent and Hailey Maiers; Benjamin and Zachary Nowell; Madison and Michael Maiers, Jr.; Hendrix, Ernest Jr., and Tristan Mathis; Bear Geller, Paisley and Heidi Ruiz; and one sister-in-law, Margaret (Schuster) Hornsby, of Fort Washington, MD; and many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her parents-in-law: George N. and Susanna Schuster; one daughter, Aimee Oeter; a son-in-law, William Oeter; two sisters, Dorothy Tauke and Modesta Maiers (in infancy); two brothers, Lawrence and Elmer Maiers; brothers and sisters-in-law, Francis Tauke, Marie Maiers, Mary Jane "Janie" Maiers, Mildred and Charles Cate, Sr., Walter and Mary Jane "Dolly" Schuster, Brother George Schuster, S.M., Brother Louis Schuster, S.M., Rosemary and Charles Schumacher, and William Hornsby; nieces and nephews: Jeannie Hornsby, Elizabeth Cate, Tom Lukan, David Hess, Dale Tauke, Thomas Tauke, Hazel Offerman, and Mary Barbara Maiers (in infancy).
The family acknowledges and greatly appreciates the compassionate care provided by the staff of Stonehill Care Center and Hospice of Dubuque.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to be given to Beckman High School, Stonehill Care Center or St. Francis Xavier Basilica.
Online condolences may be sent to the funeral home at www.reifffuneralhomeinc.com.