Hannah Mathilda Rath Wood

Hannah Mathilda (Rath) Wood, 96, entered her heavenly home on May 9, 2020 surrounded by her family.

Due to state and federal guidance on gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a private family funeral service will be held at Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home in Charles City with Erik Hoefer from Messiah Lutheran Church officiating. The service will be live streamed on the Messiah Lutheran Church and Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home Facebook pages at 11 a.m., Thursday, May 14, 2020. Burial will be at Sunnyside Memory Gardens in rural Charles City, Iowa.

Hannah was born on May 24, 1923, in rural Butler County, Iowa to Carl and Lydia (Gabelmann) Rath. She was the oldest of six children.

She met Ira Dallas “Slim” Wood working on a farm in Butler County. They were married on May 29, 1943, at Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charles City. They made their home in Charles City. Into this union, three children were born, son Duane and daughters, Diane and Cynthia.

For many years Hannah was a homemaker. In 1966 she had the opportunity to use her amazing cooking and baking skills at several elementary schools. She became kitchen manager with the Charles City Community School District and retired in 1988. While working for the school system she made many lifelong friends.

Hannah was a member of Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church and a charter member of Messiah Lutheran Church. She belonged to the Rebekah Lodge, UAW/Memory Club, Christian Ones and Heritage Club. Hannah loved to cook and bake (cinnamon rolls, Lefse, potato salad and fried chicken just to name a few of the family favorites) so hosting family dinner was one of her biggest joys.

She and Slim enjoyed bus tour traveling in retirement. Hannah also liked gardening, flowers, traveling to see family and she was an avid baseball fan (especially the Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins).

Hannah is survived by one son, Duane (JoAnn) Wood of Dauphin Island, Alabama; daughters: Diane Bellinger of Charles City and Cindy (Brian) Long of Mason City; five grandchildren: Graham (Michelle) Wood of Cedar Rapids, Eric (Andrea) Wood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Shannon (Chris) Nesbit of West Des Moines, Stephanie Kellar of West Des Moines and Melanie Bellinger of Jacksonville, Florida; ten great-grandchildren: Aidan Wood, Jocelyn Wood, Jensen Wood, Cecilia Wood, Zachary Wood, Kendall Nesbit, Adriana Nesbit, Elliot Kellar, Finley Kellar and Harper Kellar; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dallas on May 2, 1993; her parents; two brothers: Frederick and Adolph Rath; and three sisters: Martha Wilken, Sara Helm and Leah Wilson.

Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, 1205 South Main Street, Charles City, Iowa 50616 is in charge of local arrangements. Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall for the family at www.hauserfh.com.