MEESTER, Mary 1928-2012

MEESTER, HENRICKS, SPARENBORG, GIESKING

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 7/2/2014 at 09:01:58

Mary Meester, age 83, of Parkersburg, Iowa, was born the daughter of Elke and Mary (Sparenborg) Henricks on August 27, 1928, on a farm near Grundy Center, Iowa. She received her education from Melrose Country School near her home and graduated from the Grundy Center High School in 1946.

Mary lived and farmed near Wellsburg, Iowa, during her first marriage. To this union five children were born. In support of the family she also worked at the Maid-Rite Shop and Zino’s Pizza in Grundy Center, Iowa.

On January 15, 1973, Mary was united in marriage with Arthur Meester in Vinton, Iowa. They made their home on his parent’s farm near Holland, Iowa. After retiring from farming in 1982, they moved to Wellsburg, Iowa, for a couple of years and managed Ar-Mar Supper Club. For a short time they lived at their vacation home in Lake City, Minnesota and then moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where they managed apartments and Mary also worked in dietary at the Methodist Hospital. Arthur and Mary then moved to the Colfax Center Presbyterian Church carriage house in 1984 where they served as custodians. The couple moved to Parkersburg, Iowa, in 1996.

She was a member of the Colfax Center Presbyterian Church in rural Holland, Iowa, where she was very active in WIC (Women In Church), Ruth Circle and had served 12 years as custodian. She loved spending time with her family, taking her family’s pictures through the years and loved displaying them in her home. She enjoyed collecting cardinals and always remembered her family and close friends by sending cards for their special occasions.

Mary went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa, from natural causes. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Arthur Meester; her son, Dale Giesking; two brothers, Elmer and Ronnie Henricks; and one sister, Eloise Brandt.

Mary is survived by her children, Linda (Eddy) Schnell of Jefferson City, MO, Donna (Robert) Kolder of Parkersburg, IA, Gwendolyn Giesking of Apex, NC and Lillian (Tom) Beavers of Jordan, MN; 11 grandchildren, Wendy (Troy) Reifsteck, Cory (Jenilee) Schnell, Angie (Mark) Bech, Caci (Brian) Fell, Tracy (Paul) Scheib, Tim (Lacy) Kolder, Teresa (fiancée, Kyle Senkarik) Kolder, Jacquelyn (Justin) Donley, Samantha Kelbe, and James and Cole Beavers; 9 great-grandchildren, Alex Bech, Menah and Simon Fell, Gavin Scheib, Emma Jo, Connor and Liam Donley, and Lucas and Sadie Faye Kelbe; two brothers, Harold (Mattie) Henricks of Grundy Center and Edgar Henricks of Reinbeck.

Funeral Services will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, May 12, 2012, at Colfax Center Presbyterian Church in rural Holland with burial in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday at Redman-Schwartz Funeral Home in Parkersburg and will continue for one hour prior to services at the church.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

--Redman-Schwartz Funeral Home (www.redman-schwartz.com)