KOONTS, Valera HERVEY McLELAND MUMFORD

KOONTS, SELL, HERVEY, MCLELAND, MUMFORD, HICKS, AKEY, KIRKLAND, BEGGS, MELLEN, DUKE

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 6/3/2007 at 10:32:03

"The Fairfield Ledger", Friday, February 9, 2007, Page 10

KOONTS, Valera -- Valera KOONTS, 89, formerly of Keosauqua, died at 1:50 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007, at Pleasant Park Estates in Oskaloosa.

Arrangements are pending at Pedrick Funeral Home in Keosauqua.

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"The Fairfield Ledger", Monday, February 12, 2007, Page 10

KOONTS, Valera HERVEY McLELAND MUMFORD -- Valera HERVEY McLELAND MUMFORD KOONTS, 89, formerly of Keosauqua, died at 1:50 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007, at Pleasant Park Care Center in Oskaloosa.

A funeral was held this morning at Pedrick Funeral Home in Keosauqua. Burial was in Maple Grove Cemetery in Cantril.

Memorials to Keosauqua Public Library for children's books or Heartland Humane Society in Ottumwa may be left at the funeral home or mailed to the family at 717 Foster Ave., Ottumwa 52501.

Mrs. KOONTS was born Sept. 25, 1917, near Keosauqua, the daughter of John W. and Grace SELL HERVEY. She married James McLELAND, and he died in 1966. She married Guy MUMFORD; he died in 1979. She then married Reston KOONTS, who died in 1996.

Mrs. KOONTS graduated from Keosauqua High School in 1935. She began teaching in 1936. She attended several colleges and taught in rural Van Buren County schools. She was administrative assistant to the Van Buren County superintendent and secretary to the Keosauqua superintendents. She taught at Van Buren County Care Facility. She also had been an insurance agent and had worked with refugees and other adult learners until retiring in 1984.

Mrs. KOONTS was a member of Keosauqua United Methodist Church, Mothers Club, Business and Professional Women, Delta Kappa Gamma and several teachers' organizations and ladies' circles.

Survivors include one daughter, Shirley HICKS of Council Bluffs; four sons, James McLELAND of Freeport, Ill., Vern McLELAND of Golden, Colo, Kenneth McLELAND of Ottumwa and Jerry McLELAND of Littleton, Colo.; seven grandchildren; and one sister, Wanda AKEY KIRKLAND.

In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Willard and Robert HERVEY; and four sisters, Gladys BEGGS, Florence MELLEN, Verda DUKE and infant Lucille HERVEY.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

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