Jean Genevra (Peck) Zittergruen

Jean Genevra Zittergruen, 95, of Garber, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at Lincolnwood Assisted Living in Edgewood surrounded by her family. She was born on April 29, 1930, in Colesburg, the daughter of Fred and Mildred (Kurrelmeyer) Peck. She was a 1947 graduate of Colesburg High School.

Jean met her husband Richard Zittergruen while attending school in Colesburg. They were married on November 21, 1950, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Colesburg. They farmed together on the Zittergruen family farm near Garber where they raised their four children. Jean was a member and officer of the Happy Homemakers Club and former active member of St. Michael Catholic Church in Garber. She was also a volunteer for many different organizations including the Osborne Nature Center, Plagman Barn, the Colesburg Library, Clayton County Foodshelf, and a former board member of the Mount Harmony Cemetery Association. 

In her free time, Jean enjoyed traveling all over the world. On a very special trip to Bern, Switzerland, she visited the land of her great-grandmother who later immigrated to the United States. In another special trip to Ireland, she was able to visit the area where her mother-in-law’s family lived. Other places she visited included England, Italy, Hawaii, Disneyland, Niagara Falls, Colorado, Arizona, and took a Caribbean cruise. She took great pride in mowing her own yard and taking care of her flowers until the age of 92. She also enjoyed feeding and watching birds, especially hummingbirds. Most of all she cherished time spent with her beloved family.

She is survived by her four children, Michael (Karen) Zittergruen of Garber, Michelle (Kyle) Horstman of Cedar Rapids, Mary (Leon) Schlueter of Farmington, Minnesota, and Marcia (Jesse) Hahn of Cedar Rapids; seven grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; sisters, Marilyn Kinyon of Edgewood and Sandra (Marvin) Rossow of Manchester; sister-in-law, Marilyn Vorwald of Colesburg; and many nieces and nephews.

Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Richard in 1987; by her parents, Fred and Mildred Peck; her in-laws, William and Evelyn Zittergruen; and brothers-in-law, Jerry Vorwald and Linford Kinyon.
 

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