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Margaret Fern Stubbs, 97, Tipton
Obituaries · April 02, 2015
Margaret Fern Stubbs, 97, of Tipton, passed away at Crestview Care Center in West Branch, Friday, March 27, 2015.
Her funeral was Tuesday, March 31, at Fry Funeral Home in Tipton, Iowa. The funeral service was performed by Pastor Richard Smith. Friends called at Fry Funeral Home prior to the funeral. The interment was at West Branch City Cemetery after the service, with a luncheon following at the Tipton Methodist Church.
Fern was born in Carlisle, Penn., on May 28, 1917, the third of four children of Jacob and Ethel (Burkholder) Thumma. The family moved to Cedar County, Iowa, by train when the children were small. Fern attended country school for her education.
She was united in marriage to John Edward Stubbs on Feb. 1, 1939, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They farmed in Cedar County, close to Fern’s parents’ homestead. They moved to Dorchester, Wisc., to farm in the fall of 1960, where they lived until John’s death in October 1968.
Following John’s death, Fern moved to town to work. Her focus became raising her children and helping others. Fern worked many places, most notably at Tombstone Pizza when it was still just a pizza place in a bar. It founded her lifelong love of pizza.
Fern moved back to West Branch, Iowa, in the fall of 1975. At that time, she started working at Crestview Care Center. In 1986, she moved back to Wisconsin to live in Holcombe, next door to her daughter, Sharon, and son-in-law. She helped Sharon in her cheese store and also worked for neighbors who needed in-home care. Fern helped others – most who were younger than her – until she stopped working in her mid-80s. After Sharon’s death, Fern moved to Tipton, Iowa. She loved reuniting with family – especially her cousins – and relished visits, holidays and birthday parties with family and friends.
Fern attended many churches throughout her life, and her faith was held close to her heart until her death. She often reminisced about singing hymns with her sisters and her father growing up. Beyond her faith, Fern’s focus was her family. She also loved music, singing, dancing, playing cards and, most of all, sports – especially football. She was a Packer Cheesehead until the day she died.
Survivors include two children: Jim (Mary) Stubbs of McCausland, Iowa, and Bobby (Jeanne) Stubbs of West Branch, Iowa; five grandchildren: Shannon (David) Meppelink, Bobbie (Brad) Lieser, John (Amber) Stubbs, Jacob Stubbs and Daniel Stubbs; and eight great-grandchildren, all of whom were the joy of her life.
Fern was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brother Howard Thumma; sisters Martha Paulsen and Evelyn Mitchell; and daughter, Sharon Albrecht.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.FryFuneralHome.com. Please direct any memorials to the Tipton Bible Church in Fern’s honor.
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