FITZ, Corlyss Marie (Quinsland) 1929-2020

FITZ, FOLGERO

Posted By: Volunteer73
Date: 2/18/2020 at 11:00:12

Obituary

Corlyss Fitz, 90, of Rockford, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, January 26, 2020 at the Faith Lutheran Home in Osage.

A funeral service for Corlyss Fitz will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 30, 2020 at Zion Lutheran Church in Rockford with Pastor Robert Scheurer officiating. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Rockford.

Visitation will be at Zion Lutheran Church in Rockford from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 and will continue one hour before the service at the church on Thursday.

Corlyss Marie (Quinsland) Fitz, the daughter of Alick and Nelle (Folgero) Quinsland, was born February 3, 1929 in Story County, Iowa. She was born in the year of the depression and grew up on a farm with no running water or electricity. There was much love from her parents, aunts and uncles during her childhood which shaped the rest of her life. Her family members were proud Norwegian immigrants and her uncle was the first casualty of WWI in Slater, Iowa.

Corlyss went to a one room schoolhouse through 8th grade, sometimes skating to school with the neighbor kids. She was an only child, but she had the fortune to have a surrogate sister, Phyllis Toole, who was raised by Corlyss’ family and they stayed close throughout life.

Corlyss graduated as valedictorian from Nevada High School in 1946 and from Drake University in 1950. She was a business education teacher in Alexander, Iowa (1950-51) then Lake City (1952-54) and Rockford (1955-59) as well as a substitute teacher for various classes in the Rockford school. She managed the family, raising two daughters, and engaged many volunteers for the Fossil and Prairie Center in Rockford.

Corlyss met her husband, Stan, while living and teaching in Alexander, Iowa and they were married for 65 years. She was always active in her daughters’ school and extracurricular projects, encouraging them to participate in many school activities as well to give back to the communities.

Corlyss loved to travel, both in the states and to Europe on multiple trips with friends. She and Stan wintered in Texas at first, then Arizona where they enjoyed the company of many friends and the luxury of warm weather. Corlyss participated in the upkeep and tracking the names of thousands of visitors in their backyard Fitz-Reading Gardens and thoroughly enjoyed all of the great conversations and especially the groups of children who visited.

Corlyss was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Rockford, Bridge Club, Golf Club, church circle and the Fossil and Prairie Center (where she served as a lead volunteer). She enjoyed gardening, lunches and shopping with friends, volunteering, preservation (Iowa history), collecting antique glass, plates and slippers. Her greatest joy in life was raising her family and spending time with all of them.

Living family members include two daughters: Pam Fitz of Denver, Colorado and Lori Fitz of Somerville, Massachusetts; nieces: Sue Rodemeyer of Hampton, Melody (Brad) Taylor of Chapin and Lynette (Marv) Popp of Dumont; nephews: Jeff (Jana) Winters of Hampton and Doug (Barb) Winters of Maple Grove, Minnesota; many great nieces, great nephews, great-great nieces, great-great nephews; as well as cousins: Janice Roxberg of Des Moines, Gerald Schaudt of Marshalltown, Lucy Schaudt of Ankeny and Verlin Hanson of Stillwater, Minnesota.

Corlyss was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Stan; cousins; aunts; and uncles.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Fossil and Prairie Preserve, 1227 215th Street, P.O. Box 495, Rockford, Iowa 50468.

Source: Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home