Anna Mae Susan Michael

Anna Mae Susan Michael

Hiawatha

Anna Mae Susan Michael, age 101 years and 7 months, of Hiawatha, IA, formerly of Walker, IA, passed away at Terrace Glen Village on Sunday, July 23, surrounded by her loving family. A visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, July 27 at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel Stateroom. A visitation will also be held from 10:00 a.m. until time of funeral mass 11:00 a.m., Friday, July 28 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Hiawatha. Burial will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Walker, Iowa.

Anna Mae was born Dec. 4, 1921, in Walker, IA, the daughter of William and Catherine (Schmitz) Michael. She was the youngest of ten children. She graduated from Walker High School in 1939. Following high school, Anna Mae worked as a telephone operator in Walker and as a babysitter. She was united in marriage to Donald Michael on Aug. 27, 1940, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Walker, IA. They lived on a farm outside of Walker and were blessed with six children. Farming was a full-time job, but they took time to do a bit of traveling. Anna Mae was a devoted mother and full-time homemaker. Donald passed away on June 25, 1985. Anna Mae remained on the farm for almost ten years before moving to Hiawatha in 1994.

Those left to cherish Anna Mae’s memory are her six children, Donna (Mike) Welsh of Cedar Rapids, IA; Dewayne Michael and Rick Northup of Cedar Rapids, IA; Denise (Craig) Hesser of Marion, IA; Debbie (Tim) Smith of Center Point, IA; Daryl (Jenny) Michael of Newton, IA; Deanne (Larry) Becker of Hiawatha, IA; 11 grandchildren, Michele (Jason) Hall of Shawnee, KS; Melanie (Bill) Keegan of Excelsior, MN; Joshua (Kori) Hesser of Cedar Rapids, IA; Hannah (Brandon) Paxton of Grand Junction, CO; Alyssa (Joe) Seeman of Cedar Rapids, IA; Amelia Smith of Marion, IA; David (Amanda) Michael of Pleasant Hill, IA; Daniel Michael of Newton, IA; Nicholas (Denae) Michael of Johnston, IA; Lacey Becker and Brandon Johnson of Cedar Rapids, IA, Lauren Becker of Hiawatha, IA; 17 great-grandchildren, Katelyn, Nolan, Keira, Rylie, Madeline, Henry, Wyatt, Skylar, Mallory Mae, Levi, Seth, Naomi, Rebekah, William, Samuel, Hunter and Barrett, and also many nieces and nephews.

Anna Mae was preceded in death by her husband, Donald; her parents; five brothers, Leo, John, Theodore, Reverend William Michael, and Louis; four sisters, Lucille Bohls, Mary Winn, Clara Kuhn, and Margaret Michael; and special friend of the family, Michael Southwood.

Anna Mae’s priorities were her family and her faith. She was a faithful member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church for 28 years and previously a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Walker, Iowa. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, sewing, cooking, baking, crocheting, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, watching the birds in her backyard, and playing cards with her family. She enjoyed scenic bus tours, Mississippi River boat excursions, theatre plays and movies. She was an avid reader. Anna Mae was a wonderful cook and made the best strawberry jam, ground cherry jam, homemade noodles, cookies, roast beef and chicken dinners, and always had homemade treats on hand for her children after school. She enjoyed spending time with all her family, especially holidays, which were always extremely special to her. She loved to reminisce about the good old days on the farm and her childhood years. Her greatest joy in life was being a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Anna Mae’s favorite quote was this: “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter!”

Anna Mae enjoyed a long, well-lived and loving life. She was kind, gentle, considerate, and compassionate, possessed a sense of humor, and was always the heart and center of her family. She supported and loved her family wholeheartedly and without conditions. She will be profoundly missed by her family and all who knew and loved her.

We, her family, consider ourselves extremely blessed to have her in our lives and in our hearts for so many years.

Memorial contributions may be directed to a charity of your choice in loving memory of Anna Mae.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Terrace Glen Village who provided exceptional care for Anna Mae for the past four months.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.