Ollie Rathje

Ollie Rathje, age 87 of Perry, passed away on Sunday, September 6, 2020 at the Rowley Memorial Masonic Home in Perry, IA. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. at the Carris Family Funeral Home & Cremation Care in Perry. Visitation will be on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Carris Family Funeral Home & Cremation Care. Family is asking that everyone attending wears face masks and practice social distancing. Burial will be in the Violet Hill Cemetery at Perry, IA. Memorials will be given to the Raccoon Valley Pet Rescue and may be left at the Carris Family Funeral Home & Cremation Care. Ollie Viola Willis Rathje was born on July 9, 1933 at Elk Creek, MO to Willard Allan and Grace Mae (Browne) Roberts. She graduated from Churdan High School and later from the Iowa Beauty School graduating in May of 1964. She was united in marriage to Dean Earnest Rathje at First United Methodist Church in Perry, IA on December 9, 1976. She worked as a switch board operator for the phone company, a meter maid for the city of Perry and radio dispatcher for the Perry Police Department. She was a member of the First Baptist Church and the Eastern Star. She enjoyed going "junkin", loved to cook, especially desserts, collecting recipe's and Angels, spoiling her grandkids, and going out to eat. In death she rejoins her husband Dean, parents, Willard and Grace, sisters, Bea Boyd, Alma Thede and Fereleen Acton and a brother, David Roberts. Left to cherish Ollie's memory are her sons, Billy (Wanda) Willis of Perry, IA, and Barry (Lisa) Willis of Perry, IA, grandchildren, Cory Willis, Megan (Tanner) Gray, James Willis, Brad Willis, Jesse Willis, Kyle Willis, great grandchildren, Coby Gray, Lucas, Max and Parker Gray, Cooper and Brecklynn Willis, Lilly and Gracie Willis, Holland Willis, Trent Willis, Kamron Willis and Karmen Willis, siblings, Delmar (Carol) Roberts, Doyle Roberts, Gladys (Joe) Taylor and Earl (Pat) Roberts.