Mary Louise Stofer Springer Hughes, 82, was born Oct. 1, 1934, to Claude and Mary (Miller) Stofer in Cooper, Iowa. Mary passed away Sept. 22, 2017, at the New Homestead in Guthrie Center, Iowa, at the age of. 82 years, 11 months and 21 days.
A Celebration of Life Service was held at Friday, Sept. 29 at Hastings Funeral Home in Jefferson. Word of comfort were provided by the Rev. Jay Amundson of the First United Methodist Church in Guthrie Center.
Music was by pianist Sheryl Sloan and included “Postlude” and “On Eagle’s Wings.” The soloist was Madeline Slater, with guitar accompaniment by Jason Slater on “Amazing Grace.” Recorded music was “In the Garden.”
Honorary bearers were Mary’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Jason Slater, Amy Clark, Matthew Slater, Dr. Marisa Jensen, Justin Bauer, Blake Springer, Brody Springer, Madeline Slater, Brandon Leber, Evelyn Slater, Avery Clark, Austin Clark and Ayla Jane Clark.
Mary was buried in the Franklin Township Cemetery near Cooper. A lunch was served at the Yale Community Center after the burial.
Mary was the youngest of nine children.
She was educated in Cooper in the Franklin Township school district.
Mary played basketball, sang in choir and was a baton twirler during her high school years.
She was a member of the Cooper United Methodist Church and was baptized into the Christian faith at the Greenbrier United Methodist Church of rural Bagley.
She was married to Harold E. Springer Dec. 23, 1953, and five children were born to this union, Debra (Paul) Jensen of Forest City, Craig Springer of Spirit Lake, Paul Springer, Raymond (Kimberley) Springer of Des Moines and Julie (Kevin) Kipp of Yale.
Mary loved her family. She especially loved getting together during the holidays and playing cribbage with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She enjoyed watching professional tennis, golf, NBA basketball and figure skating. Mary loved bowling at the bowling alley in Guthrie Center for many years, and she went to the women’s state bowling tournament multiple times.
Later in life she enjoyed spending part of the winters with her sister and brother-in-law, Arliss and Kenneth “June” Buttler, in Yuma, Ariz. Every year in the month of June, she looked forward to attending the Stofer family reunion and getting to see her extended family members.
Mary worked as a daycare provider, nurse’s aide and waitress, held manufacturing positions in Jefferson, Waukee and Des Moines, and retired from Sunny Fresh Foods in Panora.
She was briefly married to Larry Hughes of Scranton and enjoyed spending time with grandchildren, Courtney and Cody Hughes.
Mary is survived by four of her children and their spouses; and grandchildren, Jason (Melanie) Slater, Amy (Aaron) Clark, Matthew Slater, Dr. Marisa (Ryan McEldowney) Jensen, Justin (Meg) Bauer, Blake Springer and Brody Springer; great-grandchildren, Madeline Slater, Brandon Leber, Evelyn Slater, Avery, Austin and Ayla Jane Clark; sister and brother-in-law, Arliss and Kenneth “June” Buttler of Guthrie Center; sister-in-law, Florence Siegenthaler of Jefferson; sister-in-law, Mary Esther Springer of Northwood, Iowa; numerous nieces; nephews; and friends.
She was preceded in death by her son, Paul Douglas Springer; her parents; brothers, Donald (Dorothy) Stofer, Ronald (Joan) Stofer, Kenneth (Rita) Stofer, Richard (Mary Esther) Stofer and Harold “Pete” Stofer; sisters, Thelma Guess and Patsy Dowd; three siblings in infancy; sister-in-law, Rose Stofer; nephews, Kirk Stofer and John Guess; niece, Linda Valentine; and great-nieces, Jennifer Stofer, Jennifer Dowd and Heather Havens.
Memorial may be sent to the funeral home in Mary’s name.
