Alberta “Birdie” R. Kos, 91, longtime resident of Iowa City died Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, at Pioneer Place in Lone Tree.
Funeral Mass was held Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Iowa City with burial to follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery. All services can be viewed through the livestreaming feature on the funeral home’s website at www.gayandciha.com on Birdie’s page under obituary. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Birdie’s memory to Hospice of Washington County. To share a thought, memory or condolence to the family please visit the funeral home’s website at www.gayandciha.com.
Alberta Rose Kleopfer was born March 24, 1930, in Washington County, Iowa, the daughter of Ralph and Rose (Muller) Kleopfer. She attended St. Mary’s School in Riverside, Iowa, graduating from high school with the Class of 1948.
On Nov. 9, 1949, she was united in marriage to Norman “Dale” Kos at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Riverside. The couple made their home in Riverside, later in Kalona and since 1986 in Iowa City.
Birdie started her professional career as a nurse’s aide for Mercy Hospital but spent the majority of her working years in the admissions office at the University of Iowa.
Birdie enjoyed her long and very blessed life. She and Dale liked to go dancing, fishing, and playing cards with family and friends. Many of the stories she shared with her family revolved around her times on the dance floor.
She was also blessed with the gift of a beautiful singing voice. Everyone knew Birdie for her flowers and gardens, being an amazing cook, the most avid Iowa Hawkeye fan, and for the bottle of Pepsi that she always seemed to have.
But none of this was more important than her family. She and Dale raised their four daughters and were staunchly active in their every event. This continued as grandchildren and great-grandchildren came along. Nothing brought more joy to Birdie than being grandma and great-grandma, she literally lived for this! You could often find her bragging about them all.
Her family includes her four daughters: Trudy Grout, Linda Stimmel (Charles), Deb Paul (David) and Nancy Kos Sangster (Rich Miller); grandchildren: Bryan Grout (Lesley Rider), Shawn Stimmel (Christina Squires), Christopher Stimmel, Teri Stimmel Schultejans (Alex), Jamie Paul, Kelli Christopher (Steven), Lindsay Gates, (Chad) and Ryan Sangster; great-grandchildren: Billy, Josey, and Carly Grout, Caden and Bella Stimmel, Michael and Mason Schultejans, Nile, Soren and Scottie Christopher, Manning, Ryker and Bennett Gates; and Birdie’s sister-in-law: JoAnne Kleopfer.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband: Dale; son-in-law: William Grout; sisters: Phyllis Griffin and Darlene Sojka; and brothers: Robert “Zack” Kleopfer and Alphonse “Zeke” Kleopfer.
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