Rachel Louise Mercer

MERCER, WATSON, HUFFMAN, CRUIKSHANK, GIDDINGS, KOSIBA, RICE, SHYMANSKY, MAPES

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 1/29/2010 at 14:48:04

Rachel Louise Mercer, 103, was born August 7, 1906 on the family farm near Paris, Illinois to Bert and Grace (Watson) Huffman. She died January 28, 2010 at Bickford Cottage in Iowa City. Funeral Services will be held at 11am Saturday at the First United Methodist Church in Iowa City with Pastor John Raab officiating. Visitation will be from 10am at the church. Burial will be held on Monday at the Edgar Cemetery in Paris, IL. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Iowa City Hospice or the First United Methodist Church. Lensing Funeral Service is handling the local arrangements.
Louise grew up near Paris, IL and lived for over fifty years in Parkersburg, WV before moving to Iowa City in 2001. She graduated from Paris High School in 1924 and earned her BA degree from the University of Illinois in 1928. She married Richard W. Mercer on August 12, 1933 in Chicago.
Louise saw over a century of history and loved telling of the things she had experienced. She was an avid reader, especially of historical biographies and literature. She was active in AAUW, DAR, and Wood County Historical Association. She was raised in the Christian Church and also attended Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Parkersburg. Louise also attended the First United Methodist Church in Iowa City.
She cherished her family which included her grandparents James and Josephine Watson and Oscar and Elzora Huffman – all pioneers of Edgar County, most notable, Oscar being a member of the Union Army in the Civil War and wounded in the Battle of Atlanta. She had 21 first cousins and loved sharing stories about the family gatherings. Louise was the last surviving grandchild.
Louise saw so many important times – the Roaring Twenties and then the Great Depression. She always stressed the importance of education and was a longtime substitute teacher.
She is survived by her daughters Brenda M. Cruikshank, MD (Wayne Giddings) of Iowa City and Nancy (Joe) Kosiba of Williamsburg, IA, three grandchildren: Laura Mercer Rice of Cambridge, MA, Catherine (Bond) Shymansky of Milwaukee, WI and Dwight R. (Lorinda) Cruikshank of Columbia, MO, and three great-grandchildren: Corrina Louise, Nicholas and Bond James Shymansky. She was preceded in death by her husband, a brother Max Huffman and a sister Hermine Huffman Mapes.
The family wishes to express their gratitude for the compassionate and loving care provided by Iowa City Hospice and by the staff at Bickford Cottage of Iowa City.