Marietta Dahncke
Mrs. Marietta Dahncke, of Nashville departed this life at Washington County Hospital Extended Care in Nashville on Friday, February 17, 2023, at 2:45 AM. She had attained the age of 84 years, six months, and four days.
Marietta was born in Centralia on August 13, 1938, the second of four children to John D. and Mathilda (Dalla Via) McCance.
Marietta attended and graduated from St. Mary’s Grade School in 1952. She then attended Centralia Township High School graduating in 1956. While in high school, she was a member of the first drill team, the Orphanettes and was business manager of the spring yearbook her senior year. She participated in Everygirls and May Fete. She never forgot her ties to the CTHS Class of 1956. She was in volved with all the class reunions and bi-monthly gatherings.
Following high school, she attended Centralia Junior College, graduating in 1958. At CJC, she organized Les Girls, a banquet for female students and was a member of the Lens yearbook staff. She was the first recipient of the Hazel Bledsoe Memorial Scholarship, designed for students furthering their education in the field of Home Economics Education, which Marietta did while attending Southern Illinois University Carbondale graduating with a B.S. in 1961.
Her first teaching assignment was at Okawville Community High School, where she taught all levels of Home Economics and was sponsor of Future Homemakers of America. While at Okawville, she was a member of the Women’s Club and Home Extension.
The Okawville Wheat Festival was where she met her future husband, Maurice. They were married June 9, 1962. They left immediately for Dayton, Ohio, where Maurice was employed. They then were transferred to Greenville, Tenn., where first born son, Greg, was born. They were then transferred to Wichita, Kansas.
While in Wichita, Marietta taught Home Economics at the junior high level. With a move to Centralia, she taught at her alma mater, CTHS. With a transfer to St. Louis, MO, and the birth of their second son, Marc, and daughter, Julie. Marietta was employed by the Hazelwood School District, teaching at Kirby Junior High and then Central Senior High, where she retired after 25 years of teaching. After retiring, she did substitute teaching in Washington County Schools.
Marietta was an active member of St. Ann Catholic Church, where she had been a member of St. Ann Altar Sodality, Perpetual Helpers and she was a lector and served on the church council. She was also a member of the Washington County Home and Community Association serving on the board and held several positions including president. She also served on the board of Southern Illinois Craft Camp.
As with her profession, she was an accomplished seamstress, making dresses for several bridal parties. She embroidered quilt blocks for quilts for each of her grandchildren. In her early years, she enjoyed doing crafts, refinishing furniture and in the winter watching the cardinals gather in the yard. She enjoyed traveling, especially cruises, visiting Europe, Italy, and the Vatican, only a dream as a child and accomplished later in life.
The most pleasurable times were attending activities of her grandchildren and having family in home.
Left to mourn her passing are three children, Gregory Dahncke and wife Dayna of Jerseyville, IL, Marc Dahncke and wife Tiffany of Murray, KY, and Julia Riechmann and husband Kevin of Okawville; nine grandchildren, Katie Dahncke, Scot Proksha, Christian, Nolan, Brendan and Ian Dahncke and Tyler, Logan and Ethan Riechmann; two brothers, Dan McCance and Tim (Linda) McCance; brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, other relatives and a host of friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Mathilda McCance; her husband, Maurice Dahncke (February 8, 2021); and sister, Lorella (Pete) Mueth.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the St. Ann Catholic Church in Nashville on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 11 AM with Fr. Andy Knopik officiating. Interment will follow in the St. Ann New Cemetery.
Friends may call at the Campagna Funeral Home in Nashville on Saturday from 9 AM until 10:30 AM.
Should friends desire, mass offerings or memorials can be made to the St. Ann School, St. Ann New Cemetery or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and will be accepted by the Campagna Funeral Home.
Online expressions of sympathy can be made at www.campagnafuneralhomes.com.
