Paula Ege

Paula Charlotte Ege, 86, of Hawkeye passed away peacefully after a short five-month stay at the Good Samaritan Home in West Union on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017.  

Paula was born on July 14, 1931 in Clermont to Alpha and Vera (Meyer) Hangartner.  

Paula and her three sisters, Glenice, Vera, and Darla grew up on a farm just outside of Clermont.  She enjoyed life on the farm and spent a lot of time hanging out with her dad. Paula was a very active young lady, even in the wintertime. She enjoyed ice skating on the Turkey River and cross-country skiing around the farm and woods nearby.

Paula was united in marriage with Paul Dean Bement of West Union in 1948 and they lived in a cute quonset house on Cherry Street in West Union. Her first child, Paul Dean, was stillborn.  Afterwards, she had Paul Garry Bement and Kenneth Dean Bement.  

Her husband Paul passed away in 1967.  

Paula had another bouncing baby boy, Jeremy Leroy Bement. After marrying Dennis Robert Ege, she finally had her first girl, Kerrilee Roberta Ege in 1975. In 1976, the family moved to Main Street in Hawkeye.  

Paula was a very hard worker.  She cleaned houses for folks and also did interior painting and wall papering. 

She had a large garden at home as well as smaller flower gardens around the house. Paula is best known for her large cactus collection and for her cake decorating. She was actually interviewed by the Waterloo Courier newspaper for her cactus collection. 

Cake decorating was a special hobby of hers.  She did cakes for all occasions and her gift to some family members for weddings was the cake! 

Paula also enjoyed collecting salt and pepper shakers and had quite the collection. 

Finally, one of her greatest joys was hosting family get-togethers. She hosted all the main holidays, including the summer family picnic at Backbone State Park in Strawberry Point. 

Paula is survived by one sister; Glenice Thompson of Decorah; her sons; Paul (Tina) Bement of Auburn and Jeremy (Lynn) Bement of Burnsville, Minn.; daughter-in law, Karen Bement of Elgin; and daughter Kerrilee (Keith) Bunge of Redmond, Wash.; along with many grandkids and great-grandkids who were her pride and joy.

Paula also wrote many poems and many were published. A poem she wrote that was published in the poetry book, Impressions, published in 1986. 

Visitation will be held from 10 am to 1 pm on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017 at Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, West Union.

There will be a private family inurnment at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Auburn.

Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation service, West Union, is helping the family with arrangements.     46u46