Anita H. Thiede

Thiede, Anita H. (Nee Hovel) Passed away on July 29, 2007. Anita was born in Hollywood, CA on April 16, 1924, a fact that led her to quip, "Much of Hollywood's glamour was lost when I moved to Iowa." She was proud to have been a farm girl, first near Festina, Iowa, then near Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. She loved to regale anyone who would listen about her prowess on an International Harvester farm tractor especially equipped with pedal extensions to accommodate her small size. She retained her interest in agriculture, and was considered an avocado picker, first class into her late seventies. After graduation from St. Mary's Academy in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, she entered the field of medical technology at the U. of Wisconsin and continued to work at the University Hospital after graduation ($112 a month with night call she often mused). She met her husband, Walter, here, and they were married on September 10, 1949. She was his source of support as he finished an internship, medical residency and military service. She lived in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin from the mid-fifties until 1980 when a move was made to Miami, Florida. Blessed with a gregarious nature, she served on many welcoming committees and boards of directors – too numerous to recount. Her last delight was membership in the Red Hat Society. Anita loved her Northern Wisconsin retreat, Wits End Farm North, and remained active in snowmobiling and ATV riding, enjoying the sports even at age 83. A series of vehicular mishaps over the years made her well known to the staff of the local emergency room where she delighted in the nickname, "Grandma Flash." Her one regret in life was that a number of miscarriages prevented her from having the family of five children she so wanted. A daughter, Madalyn, did arrive and in due time presented her with two grandsons, Matthew, of Duluth, Minnesota and David of Ft. Myers, Florida. She became the poster child for the indulgent grandmother. She loved to try new adventures, once enduring a month long car trip to Alaska on the old Alcan Highway in 1954. This first experience with tenting turned her into a life-long enthusiast for the outdoors, and as an internationally recognized gourmet cook, she carried this skill to outdoor cooking. The many Holiday feasts attended by relatives and friends over fifty years bear testimony to her talents. She was a devout Catholic, with membership at St. Louis Catholic Church in Pinecrest. She strongly supported the Marian Center, 15701 NW 37th Ave., Miami Gardens, FL 33054, a facility for children affected by Down's and other congenital conditions. She expressed a wish that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Marian Center in her remembrance. Anita is survived by those who loved her most, husband, daughter, and grandsons, as well as her many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. A Funeral mass will be held at 10:00AM Friday, August 3, 2007 at St. Louis Catholic Church 7270 Southwest 120 street Pinecrest, Florida. Friends may visit from 6-9PM, Thursday, August 2, 2007 at: STANFILL FUNERAL HOMES Kendall Chapel 10545 S. Dixie Highway, Miami, FL (305)667-2518