Iola Alvina (Vestweber) WHIPPLE

WHIPPLE, VESTWEBER, BEENEN, WATKINS, THOMPSON, MALLO, MCMURRAY, EVELETH, BECKER, KELLAR, WOOD

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/27/2011 at 10:31:55

September 25, 1920 --- April 23, 2011

MASON CITY, IA - Iola A. Whipple, 90, of Mason City, died Saturday, April 23, 2011, at Heritage Care Center, with her children at her side. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. today, Tuesday, April 26, at St. James Lutheran Church, 1148 Fourth St. S.E., Mason City, with Pastor Paul Nelson and Pastor Jeni Bohls, officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church, today. Memorials may be directed to St. James Lutheran Church or Hospice of North Iowa.

Iola Alvina Whipple was born Sept. 25, 1920, on a farm near Alexander. Her parents were Gustuoph and Grace (Beenen) Vestweber. She received her education through Alexander High School and graduated with her identical twin sister, Viola Watkins, where they played girls basketball in the girls program. Iola was united in marriage to Merle Whipple on July 14, 1942, in Bethany, Mo. To this union four children were born, Bruce Whipple, Janice (Whipple) Thompson, Lynette (Whipple) Mallo, and Wendel Whipple. Following their marriage, the couple moved to San Francisco, Calif., while Merle was serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. They moved back to Mason City where they raised their family. Iola and Merle loved to travel with her twin sister Viola Watkins and her husband, Harold. They made many trips to Merle's ship reunions and out West and down South during the winter months. After Merle's death, she continued to travel with her sister and Harold to Europe, Niagara Falls, and many bus trips around the United States. Iola was a very sweet and caring mother. She loved her family, grandkids and great-grandkids. She loved all the family get-togethers, gardening, camping, travel and her church.
She was on the Altar Guild committee, Do Day Ladies, where she would make lap quilts and taught Sunday School for many years at St. James Lutheran Church. Iola made many afghans for all her children, grandkids and friends. She lost the love of her life on May 4, 1982.

She is survived by her four children, Bruce (Linda) Whipple, Mason City, Janice (Jerry) Thompson, Spencer, Lynette Mallo, Mason City, Wendel (Debra) Whipple, Mason City; nine grandchildren, Bryan (Kathy) Whipple, Amy (Eric) McMurray, Stacey Thompson, Kristine (Eric) Eveleth, Kayleen (Jake) Becker, Robert Mallo, Jason Mallo, Summer (Brandon) Kellar, and Brent Whipple; 13 great-grandchildren; four step- great-grandchildren; two brothers in-law, Leslie (Dale) Whipple, Belmond, Jim Wood, Greensboro, N.C.; and many nieces and nephews. Iola was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Merle; sister, Viola Watkins and husband Harold; son in-law, Gary Mallo; brother in-law, Duane Whipple and wife Anita, and sister in-law, Ruth Ann (Whipple) Wood. She will be sadly missed by those who loved her. She'll be forever in our hearts. Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel,

Mason City Globe Gazette -- Iowa
April 26, 2011