Neva Dorothy (Baird) Lagomarcino (1922-2013)

LAGOMARCINO, BAIRD, EILERS, ANDERSON, GLEASON

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 7/5/2013 at 11:14:47

From Adams & Soderstrum Funeral Home obituary, Story County, Iowa:

Neva Dorothy Lagomarcino
March 2, 1922 - June 25, 2013

Neva Dorothy Baird Lagomarcino, 91, passed away quietly Tuesday afternoon, June 25, at Northcrest Community in Ames, surrounded by her loving family.

Dorothy was born March 2, 1922, in Des Moines, the only child of Neva (Eilers) Baird and Rodney T. Baird. The family lived in Fort Dodge until 1936, when her parents purchased and operated the Fortner Hotel in Waverly, with Dorothy working in the hotel as well. She graduated from Waverly High School in 1939 – the same school and year as her future husband, Virgil Lagomarcino. Dorothy graduated from Wartburg with a degree in chemistry in 1943 as the first female chemistry graduate from Wartburg. She taught at Fredericksburg High School while Virgil fulfilled his military obligation, and in 1944, the couple was married at the Little Brown Church near Nashua, Iowa.

Dorothy and Virgil taught at Vinton High School in 1945, and they moved to Keystone in 1946 when Virgil became superintendent of the Keystone School District. In 1949, they moved to Anamosa, and she gave up her career as a teacher to become a fulltime mother and support Virgil in his career, which eventually led him to become the long-time Dean of the College of Education at Iowa State University.

Dorothy moved to Des Moines in 1951 when Virgil joined the State Department of Public Instruction, and they then moved to Ames in 1953 so Virgil could pursue his Ph.D. degree. They lived in Iowa State’s Pammel Court until Virgil completed his Ph.D. in 1955.

Dorothy devoted her life to her husband, her three children and their spouses, and her five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. She was active in the children's school activities and PTA organizations. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Ames since the 1950s and served in several capacities with the church, including Board of Deacons, Board of Christian Education and decorations committee. She was also a member of the Iowa State University Faculty Women’s Club and PEO Chapter AA of Ames, and served on the Northcrest Community board of directors.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband. She is survived by her children: Mary and husband John Anderson of Ames, son Scott and wife Gretchen and their children Tyler and Lucas of Ames, and daughter Michele of West Des Moines; Mark and wife Teresa of West Des Moines and children Justin, Jared and Sarah; and Martha and husband Dr. Tom Gleason of Boone.

The family wishes to thank Dr. David Carlyle, Stef Coil and the staff of Heartwood House for their outstanding care.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 29, at the First Baptist Church of Ames, 200 Lynn Avenue, and burial will be at the Ames Cemetery.

Memorials can be made to the Israel Hospice House of Ames, the First Baptist Church of Ames or the Virgil and Dorothy Lagomarcino Scholarship Fund through the Iowa State University Foundation.

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