Ocle Dickersbach

Ocle Irene Dickersbach, the second of three daughters of Roy Henry and Bess Geneva (Brown) Caudell, was born near Maloy, Iowa on January 3, 1915. When Ocle was two years old, the family moved to Malvern, Iowa where Ocle would become a life-long resident. She graduated from Malvern High School in 1934 and spent the next year traveling with her father and enjoying life. In 1936, Ocle became the office receptionist for Doctors D.M. and John Kline in Malvern.
Ocle and Blaine Burton Dickersbach of Malvern were married at Omaha, Nebraska on February 23, 1938 and eventually moved to the family farm southwest of Malvern. Their marriage was blessed with five children. Sherry Lou died at birth while they lived at Malvern. After Sherry's death, Ocle and Blaine moved to Worland, Wyoming where Blaine worked in the sugar beet industry. While living at Worland, daughters Linda Lou who died in infancy, Sandra, Ida, and son Blaine Burton were born. Tragedy would soon befall the young family as son Burt contracted Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever from a tick bite and five months later Blaine suffered a fatal stroke as a result of an accident at work and soon died. Ocle, Sandra, Ida and Burt returned to Malvern where they lived with her parents and later her sister Bernice Bower and her husband Ralph. In 1948, Ocle was able to purchase a home at 108 East 3rd Street in Malvern. For most of the next five years, Burt was hospitalized at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City and would become the first resident student at the Hospital. Through the years, Ralph and Bernice Bower continued to help Ocle care for her family.
Ocle went to work for Alta Tennant and later the Charlston family in their dress shops in Malvern. She eventually returned to work as the office receptionist for Dr. Kline where she would complete a 33-year career retiring in 1983.
Ocle's enjoyments included being a Charter Member of the Malvern B.P.W. Club, bowling, playing all card games and her bridge clubs. She especially enjoyed watching her three grandsons play sports and enjoyed the time spent with her great grandchildren. Ocle and her sister Bernice enjoyed traveling together and sharing a special friendship. In later years, they were constant companions.
Ocle moved to Linnwood Estates Assisted Living in Glenwood, Iowa on October 4, 2004. Ocle had a wonderful companionship and camaraderie with the staff and residents at Linnwood. She died at Linnwood on October 31, 2005 at the age of 90 years, 9 months, and 28 days.
Ocle was preceded in death by her daughters Sherry Lou and Linda Lou; husband Blaine; her parents; sister Velma Jean Miller and brother-in-law Ben Miller; brother-in-law Ralph Bower; and son Burt in 1998. She is survived by her daughters Sandra McWhirter and her husband Bob of Baxter, IA and Ida Dixon and her husband Bill of Malvern; grandsons Brian McWhirter and his wife Julie and their children Hannah and Hunter of Baxter, Trevor Henderson and his wife Janine and their daughter Ashleigh of Omaha, NE, and J.B. Dixon and wife Lisa of Seward, NE; sister Bernice Bower of Glenwood; nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.