OBITUARY: Loretta Melinda (Glassel) Hackbart, 1926-2003, Worth County, Iowa



                   Loretta Melinda (Glassel) Hackbart


      [ The Northwood Anchor online -- Posted February 04, 2003 ]
                     
Loretta Melinda Hackbart, 76, of Grafton, died Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003,
at her home in Grafton.

Funeral service was Monday at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Grafton,
with Rev. Wayne Ellingson officiating.  Burial was in the Grafton Cemetery.

Loretta Melinda Hackbart was born on April 15, 1926, at Plymouth, IA, the
daughter of Lawrence and Melinda (Dobel) Glassel.  She became a child of
God through baptism at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Grafton on May 9, 1926.
Her sponsors were he grandparents Emil Glassel and Mrs. Herman (Marie)
Dobel, and reaffirmed her faith of her baptism through confirmation in
the Lutheran faith on June 1, 1941, by the Rev. H.L. Lechner.  

Loretta graduated from Plymouth High School in 1944, and attended summer
sessions at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.  After
completing her schooling, Loretta taught rural schools in Union Township
in Worth County, and Lime Creek Township in Cerro Gordo County, and worked
at the Standard Oil business office in Mason City.  She married Robert
William Hackbart on Oct. 31, 1948, at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in
Grafton.  He preceded her in death on Jan. 28, 1999.  After their marriage
the couple lived on the century Hackbart farm south of Grafton all of their
50 years of married life.  After Bob's death, Loretta continued to reside
on the farm.  

Loretta was a life long member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Grafton,
and active in the Women's Missionary Federation, American Lutheran Church
Women and the Lutheran Church women as vice-president and then president
for six years.  Loretta truly enjoyed these years of service, growing
spiritually and making many new friends with Christian women throughout
the conference and state.  She also taught Sunday school, was a Bethel
Bible teacher, and a member of the church council and of the Altar Guild.
Loretta was very active in the Grafton Community Action organization,
serving as treasurer for four years and co-editor of the monthly
newsletter, "The Scoop".  She received the Governor's Volunteer Award in
1995, from Governor Terry Branstad.  Served for 15 years as a member of
the Worth County unit of the American Cancer Society and on the Lutheran
Brotherhood Worth County Branch Board for nine years.  She was also
active in high school sports and continued as an avid sports fan.  

Left to cherish her memory is her family; two sons, Lee Hackbart of
Grafton, Neil Hackbart and his wife Donna of Grafton; grandchildren,
Jason Hackbart and his wife Jody and their daughter, Brooklyn Lanae
Hackbart of rural Kensett, and Amy Powers and her husband Derrick of
Grafton; a brother Rufus Glassel and his wife Doris of Plymouth; brothers
and sisters-in-law, Truman and Lorraine Julseth of rural Northwood and
Roger and Lucille Hackbart of Golden Valley, MN, one nephew and five
nieces and their families.  

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Melinda Dobel
Glassel, and her husband Robert in 1999.





Copyright (c) 2003 by Kermit Kittleson
(Note: Not necessarily related to the subject of this obituary.)
This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives.