Lucille Wadsworth
Lucille E. Wadsworth, 83, of Davenport passed away Jan. 18, 2013, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Center in Davenport after a 5-year fight with colon cancer. Visitation was from 4-7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 21, at Runge Mortuary, Davenport. Services were held in the Runge Mortuary Chapel at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 22. Interment was at the Memorial Park Cemetery, Rock Island, Ill.
Memorials can be made to a local animal shelter or to Genesis Hospice or Good Samaritan Center, both in Davenport. Online condolences and tributes may be expressed at www.rungemortuary.com.
Lucille Elizabeth was born at the family home in rural Davenport on Oct. 20, 1929, to Fredrick L. Rochau and Alma (Edna) Weiskopf Rochau. She graduated from Davenport High School in 1947. She studied teaching at Augustana College and the University of Maryland. Lucille was the first member of her family to graduate from high school and attend college.
She was a teacher in Sheridan Township, Scott County, Iowa, teaching in one-room schools at the age of 18. She retired from teaching to raise her family. Lucille married Calvin C. Wadsworth on June 18, 1955, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Davenport, Iowa. They were blessed with six children. Calvin and Lucille lived in rural Coal Valley, Ill., on their farm until 1964. They moved their family to rural Davenport to Lucille’s family farm. They farmed both farms until their retirement. Lucille was an active farm wife, milking cows, working the fields, and tending livestock. In later years she worked at the Davenport radio station KSTT as an agricultural reporter and had very fond memories of working with radio personalities Spike at the Mike and Fran Riley. She also worked at the Slagles Supervalu in Ridgeview and retired from K-mart.
Lucille was very active in the community. In her early years she was in 4-H, many school clubs, and the Rural Young People’s group, which allowed her to travel the United States. She also was a Boy Scout and Girl Scout leader for her children, was active in politics and a volunteer for the Democratic Party.
Lucille was a wonderful baker, winning cake-baking contests seven times with her famous chocolate cake. She loved to garden, spent the summers canning her produce, had a green thumb, and loved growing trees and tending her flowers. She enjoyed genealogy and tracing her family heritage from Germany to their settlement in Scott County. Lucille was a lover of animals and very fond of her cats who will greatly miss her. She enjoyed bird watching as well. Her favorite pastimes were WMT radio, IPTV, and Leo Greco. She was always happy and loved life no matter what the obstacles were. She broke her neck in a car accident 12 years ago and survived an injury most people don’t.
Survivors include her children, James and Ellen Wadsworth, Coal Valley, Sally Frotscher, Urbandale, Susan and Jerry Stoefen, New Liberty, twins John Wadsworth, Custer Park, Ill., and Joan and David Claussen, Glendale, Ariz., and Julie Link and Nate Coble, Davenport. She is also survived by Jim’s stepchildren, Matt, Todd, Tony, Rachel, Missy, Kim, and Kyle and their families; grandchildren, Ben Frotscher, Nicole (Brett) Stang, Jacob (Anne) Stoefen, Matt Stoefen (Troy Stark), Abby Link, and Jordan Coble; and great-grandchildren, twins Joie and Jackson Stoefen.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her son-in-law Kent Frotscher.
Lucille was lovingly cared for by the nurses, aides, and staff of Genesis Hospice so she could remain in her home as long as possible. During her final days she was loved and cared by the nurses, aides, and staff at Good Samaritan Center who described her as the nicest lady and patient they ever had.
Her family is deeply indebted to their service and kindness for their mother. Lucille would also like to remind everyone that they should get tested early for colon cancer.
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