Roberta Schlicting

Roberta “Bert” Jane (Buck) Schlichting, 64, died on Feb. 23, 2014 at 6 a.m. at the Hospice of North Iowa, in Mason City.  She lost her four-year battle with breast cancer.

Funeral services will be held at 11a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014 at Zion Lutheran Church, 112 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, with Rev. Dean Hess officiating.  Her wish was to be cremated following the service.  A private 

inurnment will be held at a later date.  Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church.  Memorials may be given to the Roberta Schlichting Memorial Fund.

Bert was born on March 12, 1949 in Waterloo, Iowa, the daughter of Orlin and Mary (Back) Buck.  She graduated from West Waterloo High School in 1967.  She met Duane Edward Schlichting in January 1971, and they were married at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mason City, on Aug. 21, 1971.

Bert was known for her delicious cakes and food.  She owned and operated her own wedding cake and catering business, The Bakery Boutique, out of the basement of their farm home.  She started off making birthday cakes, but the business grew and she regularly catered for hundreds.  She became known for her moist and beautiful champagne cakes. Brides-to-be came to the farm and sat at the family dining room table to pour through albums of cakes Bert had made.  She and Duane delivered hundreds of wedding cakes throughout North Iowa.  

Bert’s baked beans and potato salad were the best.  Her family joked that her catering mobile, a Caprice Classic station wagon (fondly known as the “Burgundy Streak” because she never wasted time driving slowly), always smelled a little bit of baked beans.  The entire family was often enlisted to help with catering jobs, and Bert had a small crew of dedicated employees.

In 1995, she closed the business and became the general manager of the Mason City Country Club.  She next worked at the Super Target Bakery.  She loved to share her knowledge of cooking with others.  She taught cooking classes through NIACC’s Continuing Education program and demonstrated cake decorating for area clubs and nursing homes.  

Her cooking career culminated with the publishing of the cookbook she wrote.  Retiring in 2001, she nursed Duane back to good health after he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.

Bert’s love of cooking made her an amazing hostess.  She always pampered others with delicious food and fellowship.  She was always working on a creative project and enjoyed all sorts of crafts.  Bert remembered others by sending them homemade cards. 

Bert was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, and she was a faithful farm wife.  While running her catering business, she always ensured that Duane and the rest of the farm crew were well-fed---taking hot meals to the fields in the spring and fall.  

She always made faith a priority, ensuring the family made it to church on Sunday morning, even when Casey had a fit about putting on his corduroy dress pants. 

Bert cherished her trips to Onaway Lodge in Canada each August with Duane and close friends.  She loved reeling in the walleyes and spending time alone in the boat with Duane.  

When her kids were young, Bert worked hard to make sure her family enjoyed other vacations to Paul Bunyan Land, the Iowa State Fair,  Adventureland, and Disney Land.  Even when money was tight during the farm crisis in the 1980’s, Bert and Duane made sure the trips to dance contests and go-cart races never stopped.  

They loved camping with friends in Rockwell, and Bert always made sure there were plenty of ingredients to feed pie-iron meals to the whole crew. When they became empty-nesters, Bert and Duane camped in a fifth wheel and eventually bought a park model in Pueblo El Mirage, Ariz.  They spent 10 winters together there.  When in Clear Lake, Bert loved cruising with Duane in their Corvette and taking the grandkids to events at the Bandshell.  

Bert’s sense of humor showed through until her last day on earth.  She teased a cute doctor and made “lub-dub” noises with her mouth when the nurse asked her to be quiet to get a heart beat reading.  

Bert is survived by her husband, Duane; her children, Tara Schlichting, of Mason City, Teresa (Matt) Baumann, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Casey (Teresa Stealy) Schlichting, of Clear Lake; her grandchildren, Anne and Will Baumann, of Cedar Rapids, and Jack and Josie Schlichting, of Clear Lake; her mother, Mary Charest, of Clear Lake; her stepmother, Daisy Buck of Davenport, Iowa; her mother-in-law, Marcele Schlichting, of Clear Lake; her brother, Tony (Judy) Buck, of Davenport; her sister, Rebecca Ripley of Clear Lake; brother-in-law, Ron (Sandi) Schlichting, of Clear Lake; sisters-in-law, Jan (Bob) Eichers, of El Mirage, Ariz., and Linda Schlichting, of Clear Lake; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her grandson, John Baumann; her father, Orlin Buck; and her father-in-law, Walter Schlichting.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.