Alita was the 6th child (of 8) born to John and Angeline (Rohlfs) Martens on September 29, 1932 in a farmhouse in Modale, Iowa. In 1935 they moved to Star, Idaho where she first learned about the love of Jesus at the Friends Church. After her father died in 1944 her family moved back to Iowa, setting down roots in Missouri Valley in 1945. Her faith continued to grow and she was baptized at The Church of Christ in Missouri Valley on July 8, 1945. She was united in marriage to Dewaine B. Stichler on November 30, 1951 and three years later they moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa. In March 1959 she became a member of First Christian Church in Council Bluffs and enjoyed learning, growing, and serving faithfully throughout her 62 years there.
Alita's strong work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to adapt led her to work her way up from telephone operator to supervisor and eventually to manager as she saw the transition of Northwestern Bell to US West to AT&T. She remained in management until she retired in 1986 after 36 years with "the telephone company." During her time there she made many life-long friends and invested in many lives.
While working full time and raising five children, Alita also served as a Boy Scout Leader and a Sunday School Teacher. She was an active member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, Eastern Star, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Red Hat Ladies Society, Lunch Bunch, and thoroughly enjoyed being active in The Joy Sunday School Class, many Bible studies, and Women's Circle at church. She was also an avid reader and collector of Holly Hobbie memorabilia and porcelain dolls.
Alita loved her family deeply as a wife, mom, grandma, great grandma, sister, and aunt. She loved keeping herself busy in the kitchen and will be fondly remembered by her family for her amazing sense of humor and over-abundance of homemade desserts, thin pancakes, chicken & noodles, and round steak Her love for country and gospel music ran deep and she cherished every chance she got to rock her grandkids and sing "When the Roll is Called up Yonder" and of course, our family favorite, "You are My Sunshine." She had a way of making each of her grandkids believe they were her favorite.
Alita was preceded in death by her parents, husband Dewaine in 2001, infant son Dewaine Benjamin, Jr. in 1952, son Trevor in 1986, son Mitchell in 2017, one sister, and five brothers.
Alita is survived by: daughter Shawni (Matt) Atherton; sons Greg (Caryn) Stichler & Brent (Ann) Stichler; Grandchildren: Farrah (Rob) Mahoney, Matthew Atherton, Jr., Nicholas (Tennille) Atherton, Kahla Atherton (Cory Anderson), Chad (Allison) Atherton, Shanna Stichler, Cole (Katie) Stichler, Connor (Rebecca) Stichler, Whitney (Kyle) Fagan, Logan Stichler, Halle Stichler; 17 great grand-children; Sister: Bessie Ryan; Sister-in-law: Pauline Mickey; many nieces, nephews, and family friends.
Visitation with family was Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m, followed by funeral service at 9:30 a.m., all at funeral home. Interment was at 3:00 at Frazier Cemetery. Funeral was live streamed at www.cutleroneill.com
Memorials were to Camp of the Good Shepherd, Deaf Missions, or HETRA (Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy).
Alita's strong work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to adapt led her to work her way up from telephone operator to supervisor and eventually to manager as she saw the transition of Northwestern Bell to US West to AT&T. She remained in management until she retired in 1986 after 36 years with "the telephone company." During her time there she made many life-long friends and invested in many lives.
While working full time and raising five children, Alita also served as a Boy Scout Leader and a Sunday School Teacher. She was an active member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, Eastern Star, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Red Hat Ladies Society, Lunch Bunch, and thoroughly enjoyed being active in The Joy Sunday School Class, many Bible studies, and Women's Circle at church. She was also an avid reader and collector of Holly Hobbie memorabilia and porcelain dolls.
Alita loved her family deeply as a wife, mom, grandma, great grandma, sister, and aunt. She loved keeping herself busy in the kitchen and will be fondly remembered by her family for her amazing sense of humor and over-abundance of homemade desserts, thin pancakes, chicken & noodles, and round steak Her love for country and gospel music ran deep and she cherished every chance she got to rock her grandkids and sing "When the Roll is Called up Yonder" and of course, our family favorite, "You are My Sunshine." She had a way of making each of her grandkids believe they were her favorite.
Alita was preceded in death by her parents, husband Dewaine in 2001, infant son Dewaine Benjamin, Jr. in 1952, son Trevor in 1986, son Mitchell in 2017, one sister, and five brothers.
Alita is survived by: daughter Shawni (Matt) Atherton; sons Greg (Caryn) Stichler & Brent (Ann) Stichler; Grandchildren: Farrah (Rob) Mahoney, Matthew Atherton, Jr., Nicholas (Tennille) Atherton, Kahla Atherton (Cory Anderson), Chad (Allison) Atherton, Shanna Stichler, Cole (Katie) Stichler, Connor (Rebecca) Stichler, Whitney (Kyle) Fagan, Logan Stichler, Halle Stichler; 17 great grand-children; Sister: Bessie Ryan; Sister-in-law: Pauline Mickey; many nieces, nephews, and family friends.
Visitation with family was Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m, followed by funeral service at 9:30 a.m., all at funeral home. Interment was at 3:00 at Frazier Cemetery. Funeral was live streamed at www.cutleroneill.com
Memorials were to Camp of the Good Shepherd, Deaf Missions, or HETRA (Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy).
Alita was the 6th child (of 8) born to John and Angeline (Rohlfs) Martens on September 29, 1932 in a farmhouse in Modale, Iowa. In 1935 they moved to Star, Idaho where she first learned about the love of Jesus at the Friends Church. After her father died in 1944 her family moved back to Iowa, setting down roots in Missouri Valley in 1945. Her faith continued to grow and she was baptized at The Church of Christ in Missouri Valley on July 8, 1945. She was united in marriage to Dewaine B. Stichler on November 30, 1951 and three years later they moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa. In March 1959 she became a member of First Christian Church in Council Bluffs and enjoyed learning, growing, and serving faithfully throughout her 62 years there.
Alita's strong work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to adapt led her to work her way up from telephone operator to supervisor and eventually to manager as she saw the transition of Northwestern Bell to US West to AT&T. She remained in management until she retired in 1986 after 36 years with "the telephone company." During her time there she made many life-long friends and invested in many lives.
While working full time and raising five children, Alita also served as a Boy Scout Leader and a Sunday School Teacher. She was an active member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, Eastern Star, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Red Hat Ladies Society, Lunch Bunch, and thoroughly enjoyed being active in The Joy Sunday School Class, many Bible studies, and Women's Circle at church. She was also an avid reader and collector of Holly Hobbie memorabilia and porcelain dolls.
Alita loved her family deeply as a wife, mom, grandma, great grandma, sister, and aunt. She loved keeping herself busy in the kitchen and will be fondly remembered by her family for her amazing sense of humor and over-abundance of homemade desserts, thin pancakes, chicken & noodles, and round steak Her love for country and gospel music ran deep and she cherished every chance she got to rock her grandkids and sing "When the Roll is Called up Yonder" and of course, our family favorite, "You are My Sunshine." She had a way of making each of her grandkids believe they were her favorite.
Alita was preceded in death by her parents, husband Dewaine in 2001, infant son Dewaine Benjamin, Jr. in 1952, son Trevor in 1986, son Mitchell in 2017, one sister, and five brothers.
Alita is survived by: daughter Shawni (Matt) Atherton; sons Greg (Caryn) Stichler & Brent (Ann) Stichler; Grandchildren: Farrah (Rob) Mahoney, Matthew Atherton, Jr., Nicholas (Tennille) Atherton, Kahla Atherton (Cory Anderson), Chad (Allison) Atherton, Shanna Stichler, Cole (Katie) Stichler, Connor (Rebecca) Stichler, Whitney (Kyle) Fagan, Logan Stichler, Halle Stichler; 17 great grand-children; Sister: Bessie Ryan; Sister-in-law: Pauline Mickey; many nieces, nephews, and family friends.
Visitation with family was Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m, followed by funeral service at 9:30 a.m., all at funeral home. Interment was at 3:00 at Frazier Cemetery. Funeral was live streamed at www.cutleroneill.com
Memorials were to Camp of the Good Shepherd, Deaf Missions, or HETRA (Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy).
Alita's strong work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to adapt led her to work her way up from telephone operator to supervisor and eventually to manager as she saw the transition of Northwestern Bell to US West to AT&T. She remained in management until she retired in 1986 after 36 years with "the telephone company." During her time there she made many life-long friends and invested in many lives.
While working full time and raising five children, Alita also served as a Boy Scout Leader and a Sunday School Teacher. She was an active member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, Eastern Star, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Red Hat Ladies Society, Lunch Bunch, and thoroughly enjoyed being active in The Joy Sunday School Class, many Bible studies, and Women's Circle at church. She was also an avid reader and collector of Holly Hobbie memorabilia and porcelain dolls.
Alita loved her family deeply as a wife, mom, grandma, great grandma, sister, and aunt. She loved keeping herself busy in the kitchen and will be fondly remembered by her family for her amazing sense of humor and over-abundance of homemade desserts, thin pancakes, chicken & noodles, and round steak Her love for country and gospel music ran deep and she cherished every chance she got to rock her grandkids and sing "When the Roll is Called up Yonder" and of course, our family favorite, "You are My Sunshine." She had a way of making each of her grandkids believe they were her favorite.
Alita was preceded in death by her parents, husband Dewaine in 2001, infant son Dewaine Benjamin, Jr. in 1952, son Trevor in 1986, son Mitchell in 2017, one sister, and five brothers.
Alita is survived by: daughter Shawni (Matt) Atherton; sons Greg (Caryn) Stichler & Brent (Ann) Stichler; Grandchildren: Farrah (Rob) Mahoney, Matthew Atherton, Jr., Nicholas (Tennille) Atherton, Kahla Atherton (Cory Anderson), Chad (Allison) Atherton, Shanna Stichler, Cole (Katie) Stichler, Connor (Rebecca) Stichler, Whitney (Kyle) Fagan, Logan Stichler, Halle Stichler; 17 great grand-children; Sister: Bessie Ryan; Sister-in-law: Pauline Mickey; many nieces, nephews, and family friends.
Visitation with family was Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m, followed by funeral service at 9:30 a.m., all at funeral home. Interment was at 3:00 at Frazier Cemetery. Funeral was live streamed at www.cutleroneill.com
Memorials were to Camp of the Good Shepherd, Deaf Missions, or HETRA (Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy).
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