Mary K. Linn

Mary K. Linn - 87, of Lehigh, passed away on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at the Grandview Care Center in Dayton. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, February 11, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. at the Lehigh Christian Church. Burial will be in West Lawn Cemetery, Lehigh. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Laufersweiler-Sievers Funeral Home. Mary is survived by her children, Sandra Andersen and husband Steven of Henderson, MN, Judy Nyren and husband David of Iowa City, and Douglas and wife Sandra of Lehigh; grandchildren, Collette (Daryl), Devlin, Andrew (Amy), Noelle (Luke), Aadam (Brandi), Aaric (Deb), Sue Ellen; great-grandchildren, Jacob, Ella, James, Lilliana, Nevie, Levinia. She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin K. Linn; daughter-in-law, Sue Linn; parents, John and Mary Ann Douglas; brothers, Otto, Bill, Sam, Charles, Russell; sisters, Doris, Betty and Evelyn; Aunt Lizzie Bell and Uncle John Blair who raised Mary. Mary K. Linn was born in Lock Springs, Missouri on August 25, 1928. Her mother passed when she was just three years old and at the age of six she came to live with Aunt Lizzie Bell and Uncle John Blair. She attended Lehigh Public School and graduated as Salutatorian of her class in 1947. On June 26, 1948, she was united in marriage to Melvin Linn at the United Brethren Church in Lehigh. Mary and Melvin lived in Lehigh during the years they raised their children. Then they built a home in Burnside and lived in Dayton for a short time. They returned home to Lehigh in 2003. Lehigh was the place that was "home" to Mary. She loved the little town that sat in the valley of the Des Moines River and that was home to the Lehigh Brick and Tile Company. She loved to share memories of living in the house near the tile company, walking up the hill to the school, and going to town on Saturday nights. After her children were grown, she worked as a seamstress at Lillian's Dress Shop in Fort Dodge. Her love of sewing and crafts led her to open her own ceramic shop in her home in Lehigh. Mary and Melvin loved to collect and share the things that brought good memories to people so they opened "Remember When" antique shop on Main Street in Lehigh. Mary enjoyed sewing, crafts, crochet, ceramics, dolls, quilting and collecting. She and Melvin enjoyed many years as vendors at local flea markets and craft shows. She loved her family, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And she loved to go to town for ice cream and visit with friends. She had a lovely, lovely smile.In her later years, Mary enjoyed listening to her favorite hymns on her CD player. She was especially fond of the old hymns sung by Alan Jackson. Mary became a resident of Grandview Care Center in 2013. Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family. Visitation Wed, Feb 10, 2016 at 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Laufersweiler-Sievers Funeral Home 307 South 12th Street Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 Service Thu, Feb 11, 2016 at 2:00 pm Lehigh Christian Church