Alice G. Konig, 90

Alice G. Konig died peacefully in the early morning hours of November 10, 2022, at Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. She was 90 years young. Visitation was held from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., Sunday, November 13, 2022, at Counsell Woodley Funeral Home in Allison. Funeral Mass was held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, November 14, 2022, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Greene. Burial took place in the Allison Cemetery. Counsell Woodley Funeral Home of Allison cared for Alice and her family.

Alice was born on January 12, 1932, in Chickasaw County, Iowa, to Orville and Esther (Brummond) Yearling. She graduated from New Hampton High School. She married Joe W. Cramer in 1949, and their son Stephen was born. Joe was tragically killed in an auto collision in August of 1951. A month later, she gave birth to their second son, Craig. The young widow cared for her two sons in a very small house her father built for them next to the family home in New Hampton. It was so small that it had to be extended about four feet when it was converted to a single car garage.

Joe's best friend, Vern Konig, continued to visit and make sure his friend's family was doing well. One thing led to another and they married on February 28, 1954. She moved to the family farm in Allison, Iowa, where she would live until 1988. There she gave birth to three daughters, Karen (1955), Deborah (1957) and Barbara (1965), and two more sons, James (1966) and William (1969). The farm house was always a place of loud, barely controlled chaos. Following Vern's stroke in 1988, the farm was sold and she moved to a small house in Allison, where she lived independently until the end of her life. Vern died on October 21, 1990.

Alice worked at the Allison Health Care Center in the dietary department for over thirty years before retiring in 1998. She was a very active participant of the Women's Auxiliary of Amvet Post 88 where she held many posts until the time of her death. When the restaurants in Allison closed and the city of Allison needed someone to continue providing the Senior Breakfast program, Alice, Gail Henrichs, and Annabelle Dohlman of the Amvets Auxiliary stepped up and every Wednesday morning at 5 a.m. they got up and cooked breakfast for Allison seniors. She was still doing it until her health began failing in 2022.

Alice loved playing cards - it was a family passion handed down from her grandparents and parents and shared by her sisters (all seven of them), her children, and grandchildren. Euchre, pepper, cribbage, five hundred, rummy - if it involved family, friends or strangers and a deck of cards, she was always up for a game. She made friends all over the county playing at the 'card parties' the different communities held.

Her other love was being in the kitchen. She loved baking. There were always cookies, muffins, cakes and pies - just in case someone dropped by. Her fried chicken was a 'must have' at picnics, family reunions, and parties. She was baking donations for events the week before she went to the hospital the last time. She collected recipes and cookbooks and was always able to go to the pantry or freezer and whip up something delicious. It was a gift she shared with her mother and sisters.

Above all else, though, Alice was a devoted Catholic. There was never a time when the rosary wasn't within easy reach. Her daily bible readings were just that - daily. When they admitted her to the hospital this final time, her first request - demand, really - was that Barbara bring her rosary and bible the next day. The only time she ever missed Mass was when she was too ill or the roads were impassable. Growing up, her children still remember going to Mass at Immaculate Conception in Allison, oftentimes a few minutes late because dressing and herding four or five children took time. The family marched down front to a vacant pew - regardless of how late we were. If we were too late for Allison, we drove to Parkersburg or New Hartford or Dumont or Greene. We never missed Mass. Just saying she was devout does her a disservice. She was a proud, devout, and true believer. It was her final comfort and solace.

She is survived by her children Stephen (Rosalinda) Cramer of Bend, OR, Craig (Janis) Cramer of Allison, IA, Karen (Kenneth) Alberts of Allison, IA, Deborah (J. Timothy) Kern of Greene, IA, Barbara (Michael) Ball of Allison, IA, James (Jan) Konig of Ankeny, IA, and William (Angie) Konig of Nora Springs, IA; grandchildren Stephen Cramer Jr., Brandi Kerwood, Amy Tournier, Staci Wilkinson, Rachel Jensen, Tyler Alberts, Laura Ball, Kristine Metcalf-Putnam, Joe Kern, Katie Kern, Lexi Konig, Grant Konig, Travis Konig and Jenna Heitshusen; great-grandchildren Mitchell Eberle, Jacob Eberle, Libby Eberle, Makayla Cramer, Stephanie Cramer, Wyatt Jensen, Weston Jensen, Ben Tournier, Lauren Tournier, Jillian Tournier, Braden Tournier, Jani Wilkinson, Mallory Wilkinson, Brantley Wilkinson, Bryton Alberts, Maddon Alberts, Genevieve Johnson and Lyanna Johnson; sisters Jane (Andrew) Urness of St. Paul, MN, Betty (Art) Swenson of Plainfield, IL, Dianne Polacheck of Mesa, AZ, Patricia Ackley of Fredericksburg, IA, Mary Yearling of Omaha, NE, and Nancy Wegner of Fredericksburg, IA.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, her parents, her stepfather Emil Barta, and her sister Phyllis Schoonover.