Obituary of Geraldine M. Rushek

Geraldine M. “Billie” Rushek, age 97, longtime resident of Solon died Monday, May 20, 2024, at the Solon Care Center.

Funeral Mass will be at 11am Friday, May 24, 2024, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Solon, with burial to follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Solon. There will be a time of visitation from 9am till services Friday morning at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in her memory to St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Solon. 

Geraldine Marie Boddicker was born February 14, 1927, in rural Benton County, Iowa near Norway. She was the daughter of Mathias and Evelyn (Becker) Boddicker. She attended schools in Norway, graduating from Norway High School in 1944, where she was a player on the Girls Basketball team and achieved All-State honors. Upon graduation, she attended the Iowa State Teachers College. On April 29, 1947, she married John G. “Jack” Rushek, and after the couple was married, Billie worked at Wolf’s Department store in Cedar Rapids. The couple and their family farmed northeast of Solon for over 45 years, moving off the farm 25 years ago to live in town.

Billie and Jack were known to light up the dance floors of eastern Iowa over the years, and she remained a music lover all her life. Billie was also an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Solon where she was active in the Altar & Rosary Society and supporting the local soup kitchen and food pantries. She was a volunteer at the Solon Care Center, often bringing baked goods to residents and running weekly Bingo games. Billie loved cooking and baking for her family; her potato salad, egg salad, kolaches, and homemade noodles were legendary. She was a huge supporter of her children’s and grandchildren’s activities, too. Billie was an avid fan of Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball and watched all the televised games, attending them in person whenever possible. She was a hardworking woman that truly exemplified the three F’s of life: Family, Faith and Farming!

Her family includes her children, Ron Rushek, Carl Rushek (Karla), and Jackie Farrier (Joe); seven grandchildren, Anna Childers (Justin), Jackson Rushek, Kelli Rushek, Nick Rushek (Michael Giles), Mark Rushek, Casey Spoden (Brien), and Ellie Farrier; great-grandchildren, Luke Childers, Zach Giles Rushek, Grant Spoden, and Nate Spoden; sister, Jean Petrzelka; sisters-in-law, LeAnn Eggert, Carol Boddicker, and Kathy Boddicker; and many nieces and nephews.

Billie was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jack (1997); and siblings, Kenny Boddicker, David Boddicker, Doris Milane, Dolores Agee, twin brother Gerald “Jerry” Boddicker, Matt Boddicker, and Jim Boddicker.

The family extends a special thanks to Solon Care Center, Cornerstone, and St. Croix for their passionate and dedicated care.