Connie Jean Bartels

The viewing will be conducted at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, from 11:00am-2:00pm on Friday, February 7, 2025. Funeral services will follow, beginning at 2:00pm, with burial services to follow at Garden of Memories.

Connie Jean (Holub) Bartels, age 74, of Waterloo, IA passed away on Sunday, February 2, 2025, in Waterloo, IA from complications of pancreatic cancer. 

Connie was born on Friday, October 13, 1950, in Waterloo to her parents Marion Ruth (DeMoss) Holub and Eldon Frank Holub Jr. She was raised in Cedar Falls, IA until the age of 10. She then moved to Waterloo and lived with her mother and stepfather Robert Hazlett and four siblings. Connie was baptized as a teenager at The Open Bible Church in Waterloo. She met her future husband, Allen, in the fall of 1964. She graduated from Waterloo East High School in 1969. On August 16, 1969, she was united in marriage to Allen Fred Bartels at Our Saviors Lutheran Church. They made their family home in Waterloo, IA, and they remain active members of Our Saviors Lutheran Church since their marriage.

From their union, Connie gave birth to three children, Dwight Leonard, Michele Marion, and Chad Allen. Dwight passed away in 1973 at 2-1/2 years of age. She worked as a secretary and bookkeeper and volunteered at River Hills School for many years. In 1996, she graduated from Allen School of Nursing and worked in Waterloo area hospitals as a registered nurse, retiring in 2012. 

Connie loved to dance with her favorite being clogging. She clog-danced from 1979 to 2023. She was the director and instructor of the Waterloo Country Cloggers. She taught cloggers in parts of the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Connie also enjoyed camping, sewing, collecting dolls, and crafting. 

Connie and Allen were avid travelers, especially in retirement. They traveled across the U.S. to visit family and to instruct clogging classes. They visited many places together including Hawaii, Alaska, New England, the Panama Canal, Las Vegas, Texas, Florida, California, and Arizona. Connie also made several trips to Europe over the years with her daughter and grandkids, where she spent time with family in Germany and visited various countries across Western Europe.

Connie is survived by her husband Allen Fred Bartels, their two children - Michele (Bartels) Zipp and her husband, Paul Zipp of Kerrville, TX, and Chad Bartels of Pleasantville, IA, twelve grandchildren (including four adopted grandchildren), three great grandchildren, and her siblings (two sisters, and three brothers). She was preceded in death by her parents and son, Dwight.

 Flowers or gifts may be sent to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to the family at Parrott & Wood Chapel of Memories.

 Viewing & Service: Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 420 Harwood Ave, Waterloo, IA 50701 (www.oursaviorswaterloo.org)