Edith I. Friedl, was welcomed home by her Savior Friday October 28, 2005 after a short illness.  Funeral mass will be held at 10:00 am on Tuesday November 1, 2005 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids with Monsignor Karl Glovik officiating.  Burial will follow at St. John's Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.  Friends may call from 3 to 7 pm on Monday at Brosh Chapel, Cedar Rapids where a rosary will begin at 7pm.

Survivors include her five children, Bernie Friedl and wife Sue, a daughter Jeanne Sylvester, all of Cedar Rapids, Marie Kasparek and husband Butch of Swisher, Dorothy Bartleson and husband Joel of Forest City, and Dick Friedl and wife Connie of Solon, fifteen grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, a sister Flora Heitshusen, Amana, and a brother Gerald and wife Darlene of Cedar Rapids.

She was preceded in death by her husband Francis in February 2005, her brother Carl Maas, and her parents.

Edith was born January 8, 1921 in Homestead, Iowa to Diedrich Maas and Flora Wolter Maas.  She was married to Francis on June 17, 1947.  Before her marriage to Francis, Edith worked for Universal Engineering in Cedar Rapids.  She was active in Catholic Daughters and was Grand Region of this organization from 1968-1969.

Edith's life was lived with a deep commitment to her husband, children and her faith.  She enjoyed simple pleasures in life always wanting to do an honest days work with little fanfare or praise.  She was her children's inspiration to live honestly and humbly.  She will be missed but never forgotten.

Psalm for the Dying

Relatives and Friends, I am about to leave;

my last breath does not say "goodbye"

for my love for you is truly timeless,

beyond the touch of bony death.

I leave myself not to the undertaker,

for decoration in this house of the dead,

but to your memory with love.

I leave my thoughts, my laughter, my dreams

to you whom I have treasured

beyond gold and precious gems.

I give you what no thief can steal,

the memories of our times together:

the tender love-filled moments,

the successes we have shared,

the hard times that brought us closer together

And the roads we have walked side by side.

I also leave you a solemn promise

that after I am home in the bosom of God,

I will still be present,

Whenever and wherever you call on me.

My energy will be drawn to you

by the magnet of our love.

Whenever you are in need call me;

I will come to you,

With arms full of wisdom and light to open up your blocked paths,

To untangle your knots

And to be your avenue to God.

And all I take with me as I leave

is your love and the millions of memories

of all that we have shared.

So I truly enter my new life as a millionaire.

Fear not nor grieve at my departure,

you whom I have loved so much,

for my roots and yours are forever intertwined.

Fr. Edward Hays

A memorial fund has been established in her name.

P.S. As our mom would have said: "Well, they got that over with", Amen Mom.