Emma Lou Tolvstad

Rock Rapids, IA Emma Lou Tolvstad, age 95 of Rock Rapids, IA died Tuesday, May 27, 2014, at Sanford Hospital in Rock Rapids, IA. Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 31st at Seeds Of Faith United Methodist Church in Lester, IA, with Rev. Todd Schlitter officiating. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Lester, IA. Visitation will be Friday, May 30th from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m., with family present from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Seeds Of Faith Church in Lester, IA. Emma Lou was born June 30, 1918, in her family home in Lester, Iowa, the daughter of August and Lena (Werner) Maurer. She was the youngest of five children. She graduated from Lester High School in 1935. She attended Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa) in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and returned to Lester to teach country school in Lyon County. After a few years of teaching, she returned to Iowa State Teachers College, receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1945. She taught school in Randall, Sioux Center, Red Oak, Rock Rapids, and Lester. She was united in marriage to Robert N. Tolvstad on December 22, 1946. They were married in her family home in Lester. They then made their home in Elgin, Illinois, where she substitute taught, until 1950 when they returned to Lester to farm. In 1962 they moved to a farm east of Lester where she made her home until she moved to Rock Rapids in 1992. Emma Lou was a long time member of the Lester United Methodist Church. She served the church in many ways including church organist, Sunday school teacher and superintendent. While living in Lester she was a member of the Lester Legion Auxilliary. She was a founding member of the Pierians Group, a womens book club. She belonged to the PEO Chapter A.I. in Rock Rapids. She served as a long-time member of the River Valley Players and the Lyon County Historical Society. In the 1960s and 1970s she wrote a weekly column for the Doon Press entitled My Kitchen Desk. She enjoyed the theater, acting in and directing plays, playing bridge, reading, the Lester dances, bird watching, gardening, entertaining and family gatherings. She is survived by her three daughters, Julie, husband Gary Taylor of Rock Rapids; Kristin, husband Larry Lee of Savannah, Georgia; and Rebecca, husband Jeffrey Ives of Rolfe, Iowa; grandchildren Kalena Miller of Denver, Colorado, Amy Van Holland Skou and Daniel Van Holland of Rolfe, Iowa; great-granddaughter Laura Grace of Rolfe. She is also survived by nieces and nephews Susan Stiles, Harlan Maurer, Robert Maurer, Marilyn Ripperda, Karon Kramer, Paul Maurer, Jerry Maurer, and Alan Maurer, and many extended family members. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Herman Maurer and Martin Maurer; sisters Wilma Garf and Rose Maurer; and by Robert N. Tolvstad; by nephews John C. Tolvstad, Roger Maurer, and Gene Maurer; by sisters-in-law Louise Tolvstad and Eleanor Maurer; and brothers-in-law John W. Tolvstad and Harry Garf. She will be remembered by many as a dedicated teacher and a gracious hostess.