Gracemary Nilges, 87, Iola, died Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, at Windsor Place in Iola.
Gracemary was born May 30, 1928, in Pierz, Minn., the daughter of Henry and Crescence “Grace” (Meyer) Kruschek. She graduated from Melrose High School in Melrose, Minn.
On June 1, 1950, Gracemary married Mark Nilges at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Garnett. They made their home on a farm at Selma then north of Lone Elm until they semi-retired and moved to LaHarpe. They moved into Iola in 2007. She has worked at Gates and Haldex in Iola. Mark preceded her in death April 7, 2008.
She was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church in Iola.
Survivors include four children, Charlene Miller and husband James, Broken Arrow, Okla., Roy Nilges and wife Linda, Colony, Leo Nilges and wife Julie, Marion, N.D., and Joyce Lickteig and husband Roy, Gas; 12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her son Stephen Nilges, three babies, Joseph, Mark and Connie, grandson Luke Lickteig, great-grandson Joseph Langhorst and 12 siblings.
The parish rosary will be recited at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at St. John’s Catholic Church in Iola. Visitation will follow in St. John’s Parish Hall. The funeral mass will be at 10 a.m Friday at the church, with burial to follow in Holy Angels Cemetery in Garnett. Memorials are suggested to St. Jude’s Childrens Research Hospital and may be left with Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola, which is in charge of arrangements. To leave a condolence, go to www.iolafuneral.com.
