Priest, Janna Ilee Van Laar Hall

PRIEST, VAN LAAR, HALL, BOLES, FULLER, BROWN, GOSNELL

Posted By: Ken Baker (email)
Date: 9/8/2023 at 19:48:34

From Slade O'Donnell Funeral Home, Leon, Iowa

Obituary
Janna Ilee Priest, age 80, of Decatur, Iowa, the daughter of John Francis and Verda Laviece (Boles) Van Laar, was born May 13, 1943, at Osceola, Iowa. She left this life on Friday, August 4, 2023, at MercyOne Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa.
Janna grew up on a farm east of Grand River, Iowa. She attended Diamond Country School and graduated from Kellerton High School in 1961. She and three of her best friends, Phyllis Hall, Bonnie Baker, and Anne Burchett, moved to Des Moines, where she worked as a professional secretary for several years. They remained friends for life.

On September 12, 1965, Janna was united in marriage to Jerry Lee Hall, at the United Methodist Church in Grand River. They started their life together east of Leon. Their son, Kurtis, was born October 16, 1969. The family moved to their farm northeast of Decatur, raising crops and livestock. Janna was a wife, mother, and homemaker to her family.

In her free time, Janna loved to square dance, listen to music, and garden. She was meticulous in mowing and yard work. She enjoyed riding her horse in her youth.

After Jerry’s untimely death on December 17, 1997, Janna married William Clinton Priest in October of 2003. His three adult children, Billi Sue, David Brent, and Doug, joined her family.

Preceding her in death were her parents; husband, Jerry Hall; brother, Jerle Lynn Van Laar in 2016; and son, Brent in 2006. Survivors include her husband, Bill Priest of Decatur; children, Kurt and Beth Hall of Leon, Iowa, Doug and Keri Priest of Princeton, Missouri, and Billi Sue and Glenn Fuller of Nashville, Tennessee; grandchildren, Isaac Hall, Eily Hall, Abram Hall, Anden Hall, Alex Oglevie, Brooke Brown, Brad Priest, Phillip Priest, Chris Priest, and Fallon Gosnell; brother, Jack Van Laar and wife, Cheryl of Leon; nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at the Slade - O’Donnell Funeral Home in Leon, Iowa at 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 9, 2023, with Pastor Terry D. Roberts officiating. Burial will be next to Jerry Hall in Van Wert Cemetery, Van Wert, Iowa.

Memorials may be given to the Van Wert Cemetery Association in Janna’s memory.