Cornelia Oleson "Connie" Rahn

There were fireworks in heaven on the morning of July 4th, 2011 as Connie entered at age 89 ½. Surrounded by her family singing hymns, Connie peacefully went to her Lord as Psalms 23 was read.
Her children Claudia and Stewart wish this time to be a celebration of their mother's life. For all Park Vista residents there will be an informal visitation Saturday 2-4:30 pm in the Ward Lobby.
Celebration of life services will be 11:30 a.m. on July 11, 2011 at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd. 6601 38 Avenue, Moline. Visitation will be on Sunday, July 10, 2011 from 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Additional visitation will be from 10:00 - 11:30 on Monday. Burial will follow services at the National Cemetery. The family would like to invite those attending to a luncheon following the services.
Cornelia Virginia Vatt was born on January 20, 1922 to Hungarian and Romanian parents, Emil and Elizabeth Vatt in Silvis, Illinois. She was the oldest of three children.
Cornelia attended George O'Barr elementary school and graduated on the honor roll from UTHS on June 8, 1939.
Cornelia lived in Silvis near a park and played tennis and earned her first tennis medal in 1935 when she was 13 years old. Her daughter, Claudia, proudly wears this medal today. Tennis and golf were two of her past times and she enjoyed both during her young adult years.
Cornelia also loved music. Her grandfather bought her a guitar during her childhood. She picked up the instrument quickly and eventually played 5 string instruments: the 4 and 6 string ukelele, the banjo, the mandolin and the Hawaiian guitar. She taught music lessons at Bowlby Music Studios in Rock Island during 1941.
Cornelia was offered the trip of a lifetime following high school graduation. She, her grandfather, and Aunt Mary Cardinalli took passage on the USS Bremen and sailed to Europe spending three months in Hungary in 1939.
Cornelia later attended Augustana College and during this time she sang in the choir at the Gospel Temple Church and met a handsome soldier, Gilbert E. Oleson. They fell in love and married on July 3, 1942. Her nickname Connie was given by her church friends. Connie and Gib were active in the Gospel Temple, First Evangelical Free Church, and the First Covenant Church. While at the Free Church, Connie sang in the choir, participated in Ladies White Cross and taught Sunday School. Recently a former Sunday School student told Connie, "You made the scriptures real to us girls."
Connie's main job was raising two children, but eventually she took positions in the Moline schools. She was an aid with the hearing impaired and learned how to sign. Connie was also a secretary at Lincoln Irving and Thomas Jefferson schools. She retired from the schools in 1984. Connie enjoyed playing bridge with fellow secretaries.
Connie and Gib loved to square dance and take summer family vacations to Estes Park, Colorado and Gitche Gumee Bible Camp in Northern Michigan.
After Gilbert's passing in 1979, Connie was given another chance at love. She married a former neighbor, Jack Rahn, on January 22, 1982. She and Jack lived in Moline and enjoyed 29 years together. They enjoyed traveling in their retirement years including trips to Catalina Island, Mackinaw Island, Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe.
Connie still enjoyed her musical instruments and played in a string band with her friends. Her other pastimes were cooking, entertaining friends at home, crocheting, fine cross stitching Christmas ornaments and dishtowels. She remained in the Quad Cities her entire life - her last residence was at Park Vista Retirement Village on the grounds of the old UTHS. She said in living on those grounds, her life had gone full circle.
She will be remembered by everyone who knew her as, "There's Connie - always smiling."
She is survived by her children, daughter Claudia Oleson Richards, and husband Dan, and son Stewart Oleson; second husband Jack Rahn; stepdaugher Stephanie Rahn Jackson; stepdaughter Debra Rahn Berman, and husband Stan Berman; brother David Vatt and wife Marge; brother Karl Vatt and wife Lougine; brother-in-law Arvid Oleson and twelve nieces and nephews and their spouses.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Gilbert E. Oleson, mother and father, Eli and Elizabeth Vatt, and Aunt Mary Cardinalli.
Online condolences may be left for the family by visiting her obituary at www.esterdahl.com