Funeral Services and a Mass of Christian Burial for Louise R. “Lou” Waechter 86, a resident of Davenport, will be at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, August 2, 2012, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport. Burial will take place in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Davenport. Visitation will be Wednesday at the Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 4:00 p.m. to begin the visitation. Mrs. Waechter passed away Monday, July 30, 2012 at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House, Bettendorf, after a courageous battle with cancer, having been fortified with the Sacraments of the Catholic Church.
Louise Mary Reiff was born on November 23, 1925 in Dubuque, a daughter of William Gus and Louise M. (Hesselmann) Reiff. She grew up in Dubuque and Davenport and earned her degree at the Saint Louis University School of Nursing in 1948. She was united in marriage to Joseph M. Waechter, on August 28, 1948 in Davenport.
In addition to her work as a wife, mother and nurse, Louise worked throughout her life for peace, civil rights, fair housing, social justice and affordable health care for all. She was active in the Democratic Party, and was a huge fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. Louise enjoyed travelling, wood-working, sewing, baking, baseball, cycling and lively conversation. Mostly, she loved her family.
Louise expressed a preference that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to The Café on Vine.
Survivors include her devoted husband of 63 years, Joseph M. Waechter, and their children and spouses; daughters, Margaret “Maggie” W. Cebuhar, Davenport and Anne Marie “Mimi” (Richard) Anderson, Bettendorf; her sons, Joseph M. (Denise) Waechter, Jr., Chicago, IL, William E. Waechter, Springfield, IL, James A. (Virginia Brennan) Waechter, Nashville, TN, Thomas P. (Patricia) Waechter, Montclair, N.J., John F. (Barbara Boyington) Waechter, Chicago, IL, Mark L. Waechter, Winthrop, WA; grandchildren, Sarah, Mary, Christopher, Michael, Matthew, Mark, Robert, Nick and Ryan as well as numerous great-grandchildren, cousins, nephews and nieces, and a brother, brother, William G. (Ann) Reiff, Jr., Omaha, NE.
She was preceded in death by her dear parents, brother, Richard Reiff, her twin brother Louis Reiff, and favorite aunts, Sister Elaine (Rose) Hesselmann, OSF and Aunt Mayme Hesselmann. May they rest in peace.
Special thanks from Louise and her family go out to her health-care providers at the Trinity Hospitals and the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf.
“FOR I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME TO EAT; I WAS THIRSTY AND YOUGAVE ME TO DRINK; I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU TOOK ME IN”. (Matthew 35:25)
Online remembrances and condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting Louise’s obituary at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.
