MAYER, Leona 1910-2004

MAYER, MUELLER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 2/21/2009 at 16:42:59

Leona Mayer

STACYVILLE, IOWA — Leona Mayer, 93, of Stacyville died on Friday (Dec. 3, 2004) at the Mitchell County Regional Health Center, Osage.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Visitation Catholic Church in Stacyville with the Rev. Mark Reasoner officiating. Burial will be in the Visitation Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today with a rosary at 5 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m. at the Visitation Catholic Church.

Leona was born Dec. 9, 1910, at Stacyville, the eighth of nine children to Joseph and Josephine (Mueller) Mayer. She grew up on the family farm east of Stacyville. She moved with her parents to town in 1929, where she resided until Sept. 30, 2004, when she moved to the Stacyville Community Nursing Home. Growing up, she was very active in 4-H, even having a grand champion holstein at the National Dairy Show in Memphis, Tenn., in 1927. Leona graduated from Visitation High School.

After graduation, she worked in various homes in the Osage/Stacyville area. She worked as a telephone operator until Stacyville converted to dial telephones in the late 1950s. She then worked at the Stacyville Savings Bank until her retirement in 1975. Leona was a charter member of the Catholic Order of Foresters, serving in several offices, including treasurer for more than 40 years. She was very dedicated to her church. Leona was also a member of the American Legion Auxillary for 45 years.

After her retirement, she was able to enjoy gardening, especially roses and peonies. She was an avid sports fan, spending many summer nights watching "Charlies Angels" at the softball diamond. She never missed the TV action of the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Bulls, Iowa Hawkeyes and, the last several years, Tiger Woods. Her other joys were spending time with the great- and great-great nieces and nephews, knitting and slot machines. She would never miss her Monday "solo" game.

She never complained and found good in everything. While she was never a mother, she was a special "grandmother" to many and will be greatly missed.

Leona was preceded in death by her parents; six brothers, Edward, Michael, Ernest, Ray, Herbert and Ralph, and two sisters, Martha Heimer and Marcella Mayer.

She is survived by a sister-in-law, Angela Ginder; her caregiver and great-niece, Betty Blake, and a special nephew, Leon "Charlie" Heimer, all of Stacyville, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home of St. Ansgar is in charge of arrangements -- (641) 713-4920.

[Mason City Globe Gazette]