Anna M (Arnts) Whitlatch

WHITLATCH, ARNTS, WYATT, EBERLY, AHOMANA, VAUGHAN, GRACE, WADDELL, MEDLIN, JACOBSON, PADOVANO

Posted By: RM (email)
Date: 3/27/2015 at 03:50:26

Anna M. Arnts Whitlatch, 79, of Marion, died peacefully on November 18, 2014, at Mercy Hospital of Iowa City Hospice Unit. A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 28, 2015, at Ascension Lutheran Church, 2210 Grand Avenue, Marion, by Pastor Linda Livingston. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial: 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, 2015, at Concord Cemetery, Knoxville, Iowa. Arrangements are with Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Marion.

She is survived by her former husband, Aryl (Joyce) Whitlatch; six children, Tom (Julie) Whitlatch, Kathy (Mike) Wyatt, Angela (Larry) Eberly, Chris Whitlatch, Tony (Sandi Ahomana) Whitlatch, Barbara (James) Vaughan; six grandchildren, Tina (John) Grace, Casey Waddell, Jessica Medlin, Jared Jacobson, Justin Jacobson, and Amber Padovano; and six great grandchildren.

Anna was born September 2, 1935 in Knoxville, Iowa to Tryntje “Tina” and William Arnts. She graduated from Knoxville High School in 1953. At the age of 20 she married Aryl Whitlatch. They spent a year in Germany where she gave birth to their first of six children.

Anna was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Marion for several years. Her first job in life was as a car hop on roller skates at A & W Root Beer in Knoxville, Iowa. She also worked as a telephone operator, waitress, banker, and a cook in nursing homes in Marion in her last years of working prior to a stroke in her early 60’s. She enjoyed square dancing in her 20's and 30’s and took up line dancing with her daughters in her 50’s. She also enjoyed traveling, listening to music such as Big Band, Simon and Garfunkel, Frank Sinatra, and Patsy Cline, to name a few, sewing, cross stitch, and attending the Pella Tulip Festival in Pella, Iowa. Anna never met a stranger and touched the heart and lives of so many people in her lifetime. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

A special thanks to Tina Grace, Mercy Hospital of Iowa City and the Hospice Unit staff, Shirley (CNA) of Iowa City Hospice, and Becky Behrens.