Matilda 'Matty' Gebel

Matilda 'Matty' Gebel, age 98, of New Hampton, IA died Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at New Hampton Nursing and Rehab Center in New Hampton. Matilda “Matty” Marie Gebel was born on September 1, 1914 to John and Susanna (Kapler) Huber on the family farm in Spillville, IA. She attended Spillville High School. On November 3, 1937 Matty was united in marriage to Gregory N. Gebel at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Spillville. The couple made their home in New Hampton where they raised their only daughter, Sheila. In 1962, Matty received her diploma from Millinery Design Academy in Rutherford, NJ. This was the beginning of her lifelong career custom designing fashion hats. Matty’s last hat was a black fur pillbox hat which she created in 2007 at the age of 92. Matty’s hats were individual masterpieces but she also enjoyed spending time oil painting. Aside from her custom millinery creations and painting, Matty cared for her aging mother for 18 years along with the help of her sister Lucille. She was a member of Holy Family Parish – St. Mary’s Center, was a past president of the Rosary Society, was a member of the St. Mary’s card club, Catholic Daughters, St. Mary’s Choir, she taught Catechism Classes and was the first layperson to give communion at St. Mary’s. Matty is survived by her granddaughters, Jennifer and Elizabeth Currie; one great-grandson, Chance Sirvant; her siblings; Daniel Huber of New Hampton, Geneva Becker of Cresco and Angela (Bill) Ellis of Reads Landing, MN; one sister-in-law, Marie Huber of New Hampton and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Gregory on February 9, 1975; her daughter, Sheila Currie; her siblings, Viola (Bill) Tupy, Richard (Mae) Huber, Lucille (Bill) Wall and John N. Huber; one sister-in-law, Elizabeth Huber and one brother-in-law, Leander Becker. Cemetery: Burial will be at a later date. Memorials may be directed to the family. Visitation will be from 9:00am - 11:00am at Conway-Markham Funeral Home with a 9:30am Rosary on Saturday, October 20, 2012. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00am at Holy Family Parish - St. Mary's Center in New Hampton with Msgr. Carl Schmitt celebrating.