Pauline Twachtmann Ahrendsen March 29, 1928-Dec. 10, 2017

     Pauline Twachtmann Ahrendsen, age 89, formerly of Anamosa and Monticello, died Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017 at Summit Pointe Senior Living in Marion following a long battle with cancer.

     Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, 10:30 Saturday morning, Jan. 6, 2018 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Monticello, with interment in the Holy Cross Cemetery, Anamosa. Fr. Paul Baldwin will officiate at the services. Visitation will be held from 4 until 7 Friday at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello, where a parish Vigil Service will be held at 4 p.m. Thoughts, memories and condolences may left at www.goettschonline.com.

     Surviving is her husband Gayle of 17 years; and five children, from her previous marriage to Donald Twachtmann of 35 years. Her children are Pamela (Ron) Pickup of Soulsbyville, Calif., Dona Swindle of Crawfordville, Fla., Teresa Medinger of La Jolla, Calif., Ted (Linda) Twachtmann of Anaheim Hills, Calif., Tamara (Nathan) Schwab of San Francisco, Calif., and a daughter-in–law, Deb Twachtmann of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Three step-sons, Mark (Cathy) Ahrendsen, Monte (Margo) Ahrendsen, Bruce (Jolene) Ahrendsen; nine grandchildren; 10 step-grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; four step-great-grandchildren; two brothers, Paul (June) Benischek, her twin, and Stanley (Janet) Benischek; two sisters, Rita Chapel and Marlene Werden. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Don Twachtmann, a son Todd Twachtmann, a sister Elsie Shaw, and two brothers Otto and Raymond. 

     Pauline Ann Benischek was born March 29, 1928 in rural Oxford Junction. She was the daughter of Albert and Tillie (Tatak) Benischek. She attended rural schools in Clinton County and graduated from Oxford Junction High School in 1945. She worked at the Volks grocery store while in high school and after graduation she was a governess in Cedar Rapids for the summer. Pauline then went to work at Iowa Mutual Insurance in Cedar Rapids and later in DeWitt. Pauline married Don Twachtmann, April 23, 1949 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oxford Junction. The couple farmed in Cedar, Jackson, Linn and Jones County. Don preceded her in death on April 20, 1985. In 1991 Pauline moved to Bella Vista, Ark., where she volunteered at the Adult Day Care, Helping Hands and Walton Art Center. Pauline married Gayle Ahrendsen on March 31, 2000 in Bella Vista. For seven years they spent the summers on the Ahrendsen farm near Olin and wintered in Arizona. In 2008 the couple purchased a home in Monticello and resided there until December of 2016 when they moved to Summit Pointe Assisted Living in Marion, Iowa.

     Pauline was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Monticello. She was a former member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Stone City and St. Patrick’s in Anamosa. She loved to play cards, enjoyed sewing, gardening and baking. She was an incredibly strong woman who always put others before herself. She will be missed by all who knew her.