SIOUX CITY --Mavis Gaul, 84, of Sioux City died Wednesday, March 14, 2012, at a Sioux City hospital.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with a vigil service at 7 p.m., at Christy-Smith Larkin Chapel.
Mavis was born Feb. 22, 1928, at her parents' farm home five miles west of Yankton, S.D., the daughter of Joseph and Katherine (Bloch) Cwach. She attended Fairview School in rural Yankton County and graduated in 1945 from Yankton High School. She received her nurse's training at Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Yankton, graduating in 1948. She worked as a registered nurse at hospitals in Yankton, Storm Lake, Iowa, and Omaha, Neb. In 1955, she attended Sacred Heart School of Anesthesia in Yankton. She then served as a nurse-anesthetist at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Lutheran Hospital, Methodist Hospital and St. Vincent Hospital, all in Sioux City. She was at St. Vincent's for 10 years. She retired in 1967 to devote full time to her family.
She married Dewie Gaul at Sacred Heart Church in Yankton, and they lived in Sioux City for the following 55 years. Her children attended St. Joseph School and Heelan High School in Sioux City. She was a member of St. Joseph Parish and the parish guild, serving a term as president of the guild. She served as a Cub Scouts den mother. She enjoyed traveling, going to rummage sales and caring for her grandchildren. She also enjoyed cooking and was an avid collector of cookbooks.
Survivors include her husband of 55 years, Dewie; her six children: Jackie (Victor) Charbel, of Eagan, Minn., Sandra of Dubuque, Iowa, Thomas of Des Moines, Iowa, Robert "Bouf" (Nancy) of Inverness, Ill., Randal (Patty) of Sioux City and Laurie (Frank "Bink") Crisler of Arlington, S.D.; eight grandchildren, Melanie Pemble of Mankato, Minn., Anthony Enderle of Burnsville, Minn., Gabrielle Charbel of St. Paul, Minn., Michael Charbel of Eagan, Sarah Gaul and Christopher Gaul, both of Sioux City, Allison (Joe) Green of Garretson, S.D., and Dan Crisler of Arlington; her great-grandson, Jack Pemble of Mankato; her sister, Angela Lindstrom of Yankton; her brother, Elmer (Dorothy) Cwach of Gehring, Neb.; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a grandson, Matthew Gaul; her brothers, Clarence and Luvern; and her sister, Lorraine Dallas.
Memorials may be directed to St. Joseph Church, Heelan High School or the donor's choice.