Deborah 'Deb' Sindelar
August 10, 1939 — August 1, 2022
Our beloved Mother, Deborah “Deb” Sindelar, 82, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away August 1, 2022. Our Mother’s journey began right before the outbreak of World War II with her birth in Cedar Rapids on August 10, 1939, to Charles and Margaret Kacer. While growing up, our Mother spent a lot of time with her parents and grandparents (George and Libbie Swab) at their cabin in Lake Delhi; a time and place she often and fondly spoke about over the years. Our Mother recalled being five or six years old and hearing music while she was out playing and walking over to discover it coming from a church, she entered, and thus began her spiritual journey. She later taught Sunday school, as well as Bible school.
A precocious and only child (whose parents eventually divorced), our little Debbie was close to her maternal grandparents, and her paternal Aunt Clara. However, one time, she scared the daylights out of them when she didn’t come home right after seeing “Gone With The Wind,” deciding to watch it over, (and not paying for it!); her memory of her parents and grandparents’ reaction was precious.
When both parents remarried, her family extended to include stepparents and siblings.
A bobby soxer during the “rock ’n roll” 50’s, our Mother attended Wilson High School, married, and started a family. Although the marriage tenure was short, it produced two sons, Jeff and Mike, and a daughter, Pam. Our Mother remarried but it was also short when her husband Walter Rose passed away. Young, divorced, widowed, with 3 children, and as any single parent can attest to, times were tough; but our Mother was tough too. She often worked 2 - 3 different jobs at a time, volunteered for church and school activities, and chauffeured us around. She later described this time as her “salad days.”
Our Mother was a hard worker and wage earner, whether it be flipping pancakes and serving coffee at the Norway Cafe, running the dish line at the Colony Inn, or waiting tables at the Ponderosa, she earned. But she, along with her stepsister Betty Emanual, and step Mother Velma Kacer, were also charter members of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Eagles Club. The Eagles Club is a significant part of our Mother’s journey, and included several family members, holidays, weddings, memorials, and certainly memories. (The coolest one for me is the one about stashing the illegal booze in Grandpa’s basement!)
After we graduated or left home, our Mother returned to her home town of Cedar Rapids, now married to Joe Sindelar, until his death in 2012. Joe was Secretary of the Eagles Club, and Mother eventually retired after several years with Smulekoff’s (in a variety of roles). Funny thing is, people born and raised during the Depression often cannot stay still. They both proudly worked part-time at the Budget Inn, and both Joe and Deb were thankful of the Frese family’s Scholarship endowment. Deb enjoyed cross stitching, crossword puzzles, and watching the Cardinals, Hawkeyes, pro football, and NASCAR.
Our Mother was preceded in death by her husbands, Joe Sindelar, and Walter Rose; grandparents, George and Libbie Swab; father and stepmother, Charles and Velma Kacer; mother, Peg and stepfather, Robert Mathews; stepsister, Betty (Dick ) Emanuel; stepbrother, Bobby Mathews; and significant other, Paula Hoffman.
Our Mother is survived by sons, Jeff and Mike Rose; daughter, Pam Gorsch; granddaughters Lyndsey (A.J.) Kaiser, Amy (Bo) Benesh, Debra (Chance) Rose-Macklin; grandsons, Tony Brawner, Kevin (Morgan)Ward; and six great-grandchildren, Camren and Kacie Benesh, Mollie and Kylie Kaiser, Deklin Ward, and Mackenzie Macklin.
Deb’s family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Oldorf Mercy Hospice for their care given to Deb. The family is also grateful for the concern and support from their neighbors and good friends.
“And I believed in you
I believed in you
Like Elvis Presley
Singing Psalms on a Sunday
(Where did you go?)
Well she’s gone to meet her maker
Back to where she came from
Come to save her soul…
Come to save her soul…
Come to take her home
‘Cause it’s late and past
Your bedtime
Well past bedtime”
To honor Deb wishes there will be no service or visitation.
A precocious and only child (whose parents eventually divorced), our little Debbie was close to her maternal grandparents, and her paternal Aunt Clara. However, one time, she scared the daylights out of them when she didn’t come home right after seeing “Gone With The Wind,” deciding to watch it over, (and not paying for it!); her memory of her parents and grandparents’ reaction was precious.
When both parents remarried, her family extended to include stepparents and siblings.
A bobby soxer during the “rock ’n roll” 50’s, our Mother attended Wilson High School, married, and started a family. Although the marriage tenure was short, it produced two sons, Jeff and Mike, and a daughter, Pam. Our Mother remarried but it was also short when her husband Walter Rose passed away. Young, divorced, widowed, with 3 children, and as any single parent can attest to, times were tough; but our Mother was tough too. She often worked 2 - 3 different jobs at a time, volunteered for church and school activities, and chauffeured us around. She later described this time as her “salad days.”
Our Mother was a hard worker and wage earner, whether it be flipping pancakes and serving coffee at the Norway Cafe, running the dish line at the Colony Inn, or waiting tables at the Ponderosa, she earned. But she, along with her stepsister Betty Emanual, and step Mother Velma Kacer, were also charter members of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Eagles Club. The Eagles Club is a significant part of our Mother’s journey, and included several family members, holidays, weddings, memorials, and certainly memories. (The coolest one for me is the one about stashing the illegal booze in Grandpa’s basement!)
After we graduated or left home, our Mother returned to her home town of Cedar Rapids, now married to Joe Sindelar, until his death in 2012. Joe was Secretary of the Eagles Club, and Mother eventually retired after several years with Smulekoff’s (in a variety of roles). Funny thing is, people born and raised during the Depression often cannot stay still. They both proudly worked part-time at the Budget Inn, and both Joe and Deb were thankful of the Frese family’s Scholarship endowment. Deb enjoyed cross stitching, crossword puzzles, and watching the Cardinals, Hawkeyes, pro football, and NASCAR.
Our Mother was preceded in death by her husbands, Joe Sindelar, and Walter Rose; grandparents, George and Libbie Swab; father and stepmother, Charles and Velma Kacer; mother, Peg and stepfather, Robert Mathews; stepsister, Betty (Dick ) Emanuel; stepbrother, Bobby Mathews; and significant other, Paula Hoffman.
Our Mother is survived by sons, Jeff and Mike Rose; daughter, Pam Gorsch; granddaughters Lyndsey (A.J.) Kaiser, Amy (Bo) Benesh, Debra (Chance) Rose-Macklin; grandsons, Tony Brawner, Kevin (Morgan)Ward; and six great-grandchildren, Camren and Kacie Benesh, Mollie and Kylie Kaiser, Deklin Ward, and Mackenzie Macklin.
Deb’s family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Oldorf Mercy Hospice for their care given to Deb. The family is also grateful for the concern and support from their neighbors and good friends.
“And I believed in you
I believed in you
Like Elvis Presley
Singing Psalms on a Sunday
(Where did you go?)
Well she’s gone to meet her maker
Back to where she came from
Come to save her soul…
Come to save her soul…
Come to take her home
‘Cause it’s late and past
Your bedtime
Well past bedtime”
To honor Deb wishes there will be no service or visitation.
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