Alice Mealy

ALICE MEALY

Mason City

5/30/1930 -- 5/18/2016

Alice Mealy, 85, of Mason City, died Wednesday, May 18, 2016, at Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 21, at Epiphany Parish Holy Family Catholic Church, 714 N. Adams Ave., Mason City, with the Rev. Neil Manternach officiating. Burial will follow in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery in Mason City.

In lieu of flowers, family suggests memorial contributions to the ALS Association (Lou Gehrig's Disease), Catholic Daughters of the Americas or a charity of one's choice.

Alice Ruby Norton was born May 30, 1930, the daughter of Charles Wesley and Happy "Ruby" (Whitmer) Norton near Wilton Junction, Iowa. A graduate of Wilton High School, Alice earned a teaching license from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls and began her teaching career in Decorah.

Alice married Carl J. Mealy on June 5, 1950, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Wilton and were happily married for almost 55 years. Together they taught in Elwood. They moved to Nichols and then to Horicon, Wis.

After having their five children, and while teaching in Hustisford, Wis., she earned her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The family moved to Mason City and she enjoyed her many years of teaching in Clear Lake.

After retiring, Alice continued her passion for education by volunteering at area schools.

Alice was very active and took great pleasure in giving service to others. She was a member of Epiphany Parish Holy Family Catholic Church, where she volunteered in many groups and held several positions, including parish council and Catholic Daughters of the Americas, and was an Eucharistic minister. She also donated her time and talents to Community Kitchen, Meals on Wheels, the hospital, Birthright and the library.

She enjoyed traveling, painting, reading, writing, bird watching, wildlife and gardening. Family and friends were very important to her with some of her favorite times being spent playing games and cards, especially bridge, mahjong and canasta.

Alice is survived by four children, Carl (Cynthia) Mealy of Normandy Park, Wash., Cynthia (Robert Steinberg) Mealy of Fitchburg, Wis., Catherine (Kevin) Shea of Cedar Rapids and Alice Ann (Lon) Janechek of Independence; 12 grandchildren, Teresa Mealy, Timothy (Priyanka) Mealy, Tedrick Mealy, Nicholas Schilke, Amanda Schilke, Benjamin (Ellie) Schilke, Katie Shea, Matthew Shea, Megan (Adam) Boelter, Brian Shea, Lisa (Matthew) Klein and Michael (Mallory) Janechek; six great-grandchildren, Andrew and Tony Boelter, Nicholas and Finley Schilke, Anika Janechek and Mason Klein; three siblings, Lucille Yedlik of Vinton, William (Judy) Norton of Lowden and Miriam Baumann of Grinnell; and many nieces and nephews. She felt blessed with many wonderful friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Carl; a son, Robert Charles Mealy; three siblings and their spouses, Florence (Les) Bates, Wes (Maxine) Norton and Harold (Brenda) Norton; and brother-in-law, Robert Baumann.

Arrangements by Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 Third St. NE, Mason City, (641) 423-2372. www.ColonialChapels.com.