Eleanor Flynn

ELEANOR FLYNN

Iowa City

Eleanor J. Flynn, 77, of Iowa City, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015, surrounded by her adoring family at Mercy Iowa City following her heroic battle with cancer. The family will receive friends on Sunday, Sept. 27, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Lensing Funeral Home, 605 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City, where a vigil service will follow at 6 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 228 E. Jefferson St., Iowa City.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to St. Mary's Church, Iowa City Hospice or Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa.

Eleanor was born Aug. 3, 1938, in Emery, S.D., the daughter of Joseph and Mabel (Kewley) Kayser. She grew up in Emery and Mitchell, S.D., and married Douglas Flynn on April 28, 1962, in Emery.

After adventures living in New York, South Dakota, Illinois and Massachusetts, the couple settled their family in Iowa City in 1976. Eleanor loved the Iowa City community and was an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Iowa City Elks Club and PEO Chapter K.Z.5.

She especially enjoyed watching her sons play sports at City High, her Tuesday night ladies golf and dinner group, playing cards with Doug and her friends, and watching University of Iowa sports.

Eleanor was committed to the University of Iowa, where she worked as a mail clerk for the University of Iowa Foundation for 15 years until her retirement in 2000. She is fondly remembered for her humming in the halls as she delivered the mail, intently inquiring of others' families. Eleanor loved working at the Foundation and her family is especially grateful for the appreciation they expressed for Eleanor at her retirement celebration.

More than the community, however, Eleanor was committed to her family. She was a lifelong example to her children and grandchildren of grace, humility, compassion, and putting others before herself, but most importantly, the source of unimaginable amounts of unconditional love. She taught her family every day about a life of Christian values and only occasionally used words.

She will be greatly missed and never forgotten.

The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, especially Dr. Berg and Dr. Johlin for their exceptional and compassionate care of Eleanor during her cancer fight.

Eleanor is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 53 years, Doug; her children, Scott (Jeannine) Flynn of Anchorage, Ky., Steve Flynn of Altoona and Shad (Pam) Flynn of Sammamish, Wash.; grandchildren, Jake, Nick, Zachary, Sam, Sydney, Nate, Riley and Kellen Flynn; brothers and sisters, Beverly (Richard) Mayer of Nicollet, Minn., Marilyn Burnham of Spencer, S.D., Donna (Bud) Pederson of Alcester, S.D., Robert (Linda) Kayser of Ankeny, Greg (Beth) Kayser of Emery, S.D., and Janie (Loren) Golder of Bridgewater, S.D.; and a brother-in-law, Charles Krueger of Byron, Minn.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Sandra Kayser and Carol Kruger; and a brother, Jim Kayser.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.lensingfuneral.com.