Irene Maca

Dorothy "Irene" Maca, 78, passed away Monday, February 18, 2013, at Columbus Community Hospital.

Irene was born February 16, 1935, on a farm near Imogene, Iowa, to Leo and Lucille (Regan) Hughes. She attended school in Imogene, graduating in 1953. After high school, she attended nurses training at Mercy Nursing School, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and became an LPN.

She was united in marriage to Louis F. Maca, on February 21, 1955, at St. Patricks Church in Imogene. Their 46 year marriage was blessed with 10 children: Dean, Jim, Patti, Carl, Joe, Janet, Jerry, Paul, Dan, and Ann. After their marriage they lived in Omaha, Nebraska; then Moline, Illinois for 14 years, until moving to Columbus, Nebraska in 1973.

Irene was a devoted Catholic and mother. Her family will never know the benefits of the long hours she spent on her knees praying for them. Her love for God and her church was a strong example for her family. She raised the children, cared for the home, and volunteered at church and school for many years while Louie was away earning a living driving his truck. She had a great sense of humor and was very resilient in the face of adversity. She was proud to be Irish and from Southwest Iowa. She worked as an LPN in Omaha and Moline, loaded and washed trucks for UPS in Columbus, cleaned hotel rooms and offices, and worked at Appleton for 10 years. She lived through two aneurysms and fought Alzheimers for several years before her death.

Irene was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; sons Dean, James, and Carl; sister Mary Ditmars; brothers John, Jude, and Billy Hughes; great grandchildren Chloe Held and Isaiah Maca, grandson; Trent Schacher; daughter-in-law Carri Hachat-Maca

She is survived by daughters Patti (Tim) Held, Janet (Rick) Zywiec, and Ann (Brian) Lacy; sons Joseph, Gerald, Paul (Stephanie) and Daniel (Tonya); daughter-in-law Kathy Maca; brother Joseph (Jackie); sisters-in-law Phyllis Hughes and Peggy (Dean) Girard, Linda Maca; brother-in-law: Hank Ditmars; 20 grandchildren; 18 great grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, and cousins.