Dr. Ann Struthers

Dr. Ann Struthers

Cedar Rapids

Dr. Ann Struthers, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away peacefully on February 24, 2024 at age 93, with pen and paper by her bedside. A lifelong learner and teacher, she was a poet, writer, professor, Fulbright Scholar, Malone Fellow, 25-year faculty member of Coe College, and 60-year member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.

Eleanor Ann Mohr Struthers was born in Terril, Iowa on April 15, 1930 to Anna Smith Mohr and Fred Mohr. She earned a BA in English from Morningside College, and MA and Ph.D degrees from the University of Iowa.

In the late 1940s she met Mel Struthers at a MYF gathering and they married in 1952 and moved to Washington, D.C. where she began her teaching career in a middle school in Silver Spring, Maryland. Returning to her Iowa roots in the late 1950s with Mel and baby John, she became a committed advocate for higher education and equal rights.

Her three daughters were born in Illinois and Iowa, rounding up the family to four children. Ann carved out time to be a community volunteer as a Blue Bird leader, a Friendship Forum board member, a Pen Women International member, and a cheerleader for her children’s music and sports events. She had exceptional baking skills, and her delectable brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and homemade bread were savored by the lucky recipients. Ann loved to travel, and was thrilled with family trips with Mel to Lily Cottage in Spirit Lake, Iowa, and biannual Mohr family reunions at the Y camp in Estes Park, Colorado.

In 1997 she was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship and spent two years in Aleppo, Syria, teaching American Literature at the University of Aleppo. Her chapbook, ALEPPO BURNING, illuminates her time in the Middle East before the Syrian Civil War.

Subsequently, she was awarded a second Fulbright Fellowship in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Her chapbook of poetry, THE KINDNESS OF CROCODILES explores the magic lives of animals of Sri Lanka.

In recent months she completed and was actively editing the memoir of her years in Syria with the working title “Ann of Aleppo”.

She took her writing, teaching, and parenting responsibilities seriously, loved her students fiercely, and adored her colleagues, friends and family deeply.

Predeceased by her husband of 68 years, Melvin Struthers Jr., Dr. Struthers is survived by her four children, John Struthers, Georgia Struthers (Tom Warmath), Charity Struthers, Mary Dittmer, five grandchildren, Joseph Dittmer, Melody Whitbeck, Dr. Jordan Warmath, David Title, Samuel Title, and five great-grandchildren, Charley Dittmer, Brody Dittmer, Shepherd Whitbeck, Luca Warmath-Pascoe, and Abell Whitbeck.

Donations in Ann’s honor may be made to St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, the Melvin and Ann Struthers Fund at Coe College, Advancement Services Office, 1220 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402, or to the charity of your choice.