Ann C. Raschke, 84, of Geneseo, passed away on Monday, April 29, 2019, at Hammond Henry Hospital – Long Term Care, Geneseo. Funeral services to celebrate her life will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 4, 2019, at St John’s Lutheran Church, Edford Township. Reverend Gary Wright will officiate.
Burial at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be held 9:30 – 11:30, Saturday, May 4, 2019, at the church. Vandemore Funeral Homes & Crematory is assisting with the arrangements.
Memorials may be directed to St. John’s Lutheran Church or Geneseo Education Foundation. Ann Carolyn Raschke was born December 20, 1934, the daughter of Howard and Dorothy (Myhre) Horswell, in Graettinger, IA. In 1946, after World War II, her family moved to Des Plaines, IL.
She graduated from Maine Township High School in 1952. She attended Moline Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1955. She was united in marriage to John R. Raschke, of Geneseo, on February 26, 1956, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Des Plaines.
He preceded her in death on March 2, 2015. Ann was a medical/surgical nurse at Lutheran Hospital, then worked evenings in the maternity ward at Hammond Henry Hospital, Geneseo. After her children arrived, she was a stay at home mom, occasionally doing private duty nursing.
Ann and John farmed in Edford Township for many years. She was a long-time member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Edford Township. She sang in the choir, participated in Ladies Aid, taught Sunday School, Bible School, and served as the Sunday School superintendent.
She was active in the Henry County Beef Auxiliary, chairman of the Illinois Beef Auxiliary and sat on the National Cow Belle board as their Beef for Father’s Day chairman. She was elected to the Illinois Beef Council at its conception. She enjoyed helping with the Geneseo school systems after-school tutoring program and served as chairman of the Geneseo Endowment for Excellence in Education, now known as the Geneseo Education Foundation.
She was a longtime member of Home Extension. She enjoyed playing bridge with her husband and friends, and belonged to several bridge clubs. Her greatest joy was raising her children and being involved with her grandchildren, attending their many activities.
Those remaining to cherish her memory are her daughters, Ruth (Dave) Varney, Lone Tree, IA, Catherine (Dennis) Langdon, Colona, IL; sons, J. Andrew (Yvette) Raschke, Geneseo, and J. Aaron Raschke, Geneseo; eleven grandchildren, Zachariah Varney, Andrew (Sarah) Varney, Sarah (Collins) Amankwah, Fern (Dan) Kulpa, Adam (Ana) Langdon, Kate (fiancé Evan) Langdon, Nathan (Amanda) Raschke, Nicholas (fiancé Lindsey) Raschke, Jeremy Raschke, Logan Raschke, and Autumn Raschke; great-grandchildren, Connor and Warren Varney, Grace Kulpa, and Ava Raschke; sister-in-law, Sally Vetter, Milan; a niece and several nephews. The family would like to thank Pastor Gary Wright for his pastoral care. A heartfelt thank you is also extended to the staff at Hammond Henry Hospital – Long Term Care and Hospice Compasses for the compassionate care given to Ann and her family during her final months.
Those preceding her in death are her husband, her parents, sister, Sally Pratt, brother-in-law, Gale Vetter, and a nephew, James Vetter.
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