Thelma Duregger

Thelma Duregger, 93, of Apple Valley,  405 27th Ave. S., Clear Lake, died Friday, March 1, 2013 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at the Galilean Lutheran Church, Clear Lake, with Rev. Scott McCluskey officiating.  Interment will be in Clear Lake Cemetery, Clear Lake.  Visitation will be one hour before the service on Wednesday at the church.  The family suggests memorials to the Thelma Duregger 

memorial fund.

Thelma was born Sept. 16, 1919 on the family farm south of Clear Lake, Iowa the daughter of Daniel and Alphena (Thompson) Spilman Jr.  She attended Eden Farm School. 

Thelma married Virgil (Jiggs) Duregger on Aug. 20, 1939.  They began a family and lived and worked in the Clear Lake area.  

She enjoyed cooking, cleaning, reading newspapers, playing cards, her pets and raising her children.  She was well known as a gracious hostess and entertaining relatives and friends.  She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Thelma is survived by her three children, Sam Duregger, Westminster, Colo., Steve (Deb) Duregger, Clear Lake, and Anne (Dennis) Cooper, Clear Lake; three grandchildren, Paul (Kellie) Cooper, Clear Lake, Allison (Jon) Klaassen, Forest City, Iowa, and Stephanie Duregger, Clear Lake; seven great-grandchildren, Ashlin Cooper, Olivia Cooper, Addison Cooper, Owen Cooper, Sam Klaassen, Kate Klaassen and Tess Klaassen; sister, Betty Thomas, Clear Lake; brother, Daniel T. Spilman, Rockwell, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Audrey Spilman, Alma Spilman, and Phyllis  “Till” Spilman, Clear Lake; many nieces and nephews; and Russell Rayburn, whom she loved as a son.  

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Virgil, of 59 years; four brothers, Dale, Orval, Wayne and Sam Spilman; two sisters, Helen Duregger and an infant sister, Anna. 

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