Grace Rita (Harpenau) Rutan

Grace Rita (Harpenau) Rutan, age 68 of Remsen, IA passed away on Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at Happy Siesta Health Care Center in Remsen, Iowa.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 3 PM Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen, IA with Rev. Timothy Pick officiating and Deacon Doug Heeren assisting. Burial will be later at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Remsen. Visitation with family present will be 2-2:45 PM on Saturday at Fisch Funeral Home & Monument in Remsen. Services have been entrusted to the Fisch Funeral Home & Monument in Remsen.

Grace was born Sept. 20, 1955 at Le Mars, IA, the daughter of Isidore & Rita (Colling) Harpenau. She was raised and educated in Remsen and attended St. Mary’s Catholic Schools graduating in 1974. 

In 1979 she married Jim Rutan at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen.

Survivors include her children, Mary Beth Habel of Minneapolis, MN, twins, Matt & John Rutan of Florida; her siblings; Donna (Lynn) Nuebel of Le Mars, IA, Nancy (Lee) Peterson of Minneapolis, MN, Sara (Dennis) Gralapp of Remsen, IA, Ken (Jane) Harpenau of Wahoo, NE, Ned (Jane) Harpenau of Remsen, IA, Steve (Lynda) Harpenau of Omaha, NE, Joe (Marcia) Harpenau of Remsen, IA, Sue (Randy) McCall of Ord, NE, Colleen (Jack) Meyer of St. Paul, MN; brother-in-law, Bob Layeux of Rockford, IL; numerous nieces & nephews.

She was preceded by her parents; one sister, Julie Layeux; one brother, Mark Harpenau.