Mildred Fern [Thompson] Walling 1914-2011

LYNCH, THOMPSON, WALLING, CHESWICK, BURRELL, MILLER, LOCKE, ELSTON, STURDAWAN, REDMAN, NOWLING, MCNABB

Posted By: Curtis (email)
Date: 1/12/2012 at 12:44:40

DEATH NOTICE:

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa January 4, 2012)

WALLING, Mildred Fern, 97, of Lamoni, Iowa, died on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at the Lamoni Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Lamoni. Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 31, 2011 at the Lamoni Community of Christ Church in Lamoni, Iowa with Morris Boswell and Brad Carr officiating. Burial was in the Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni, Iowa. Arrangements were through the Slade-O'Donnell Funeral Home of Leon and Lamoni, Iowa.

Obituary -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa January 4, 2012)

MILDRED FERN WALLING ... Mildred Fern Walling, age 97 of Lamoni, Iowa, was born may 2, 1914, to John Abraham and Alma Faye [Lynch] Thompson, at her grandparents home in Redding, Iowa, the oldest of ten children. She attended country school in Ringgold County, Iowa before her family moved to Lamoni, Iowa, where she graduated from Lamoni High School in June of 1932. After graduation, she attended Graceland College and earned her teacher's certification. She often recalled how her dad delivered groceries to Graceland from Creston, Iowa to pay her tuition. Mildred went on to teach in rural schools in Decatur and Ringgold Counties for seven years.

On June 25, 1938, Mildred married Everett Dwight Walling of Lamoni. To this union three children were born, James Everett, Judith Ann, and Donna Jean. She quit teaching and stayed home to raise her children. She was an accomplished seamstress, always raised a big garden and preserved the produce, was a wonderful cook, and loved her flowers. She even raised an orange tree in a planter from a seed.

Mildred was a member of the RLDS Church, Bloomington Branch. She taught Sunday school and assisted with the girls' Skylarks. She cooked at the Lamoni School cafeteria for eight years from 1955 until 1963.

Preceding Mildred in death were her parents; husband Everett; daughter Judy; sister Ethel Cheswick; brothers, John D., David, Paul, Lynden, and Dick; brothers-in-law, John Burrell, Doyle Miller, Bob Locke, and Frank Elston; sisters-in-law, Roberta Burrell and Edith Sturdawan; and nephews, Ben Redman and Melvin Miller.

She is survived by son Jim Walling and wife bonnie of Davis City, Iowa; daughter Donna Walling of Lamoni; sisters, Alice Miller and Margaret Locke, of Grant City, Missouri; brother Howard Thompson and wife Evelyn of Davis City; sisters-in-law, Marge Thompson of Lamoni, Margaret Thompson of Manchester, Georgia, and Joyce Thompson of Grant City; grandchildren, Guy and Shelly Walling and children Stephanie and Tyler of Hoschton, Georgia; Jeff Walling and children Joshua, Jessica, and Jeremiah of Decatur, Iowa; Greg Walling and children Brandon, Heather, and Teyonni of Lamoni; Sarah & Lin Nowling and children Erica and Zachary of Warrensburg, Missouri; Mike & Tammy Walling and children Dustin, Sammy, and Trey of McHenry, Maryland; and Evan Walling of Niigata, Japan and his son Mathyas McNabb of Mt. Ayr, Iowa; many nieces and nephew; other relatives and friends.

Mildred passed from this life on December 28, 2011 at Lamoni Nursing and Rehab Center. She loved her friends and family and leaves a legacy of love.