Spitler, Cora Mae

Cora Mae Spitler, 94, of Cedar Rapids, formerly of Manchester, died Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011, at the Belle Plaine Nursing Center in Belle Plaine, Iowa. Memorial Service: 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 520 Wilson Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. Inurnment: Oakland Cemetery in Manchester.

Cora was born on Oct. 5, 1917, in Delhi, Iowa, the daughter of Donald E. and Cora L. (Taylor) Thibadeau. She graduated from Dundee High School. On Oct. 5, 1934, Cora was united in marriage to LeRoy Spitler at the Methodist Parsonage in Manchester. The couple farmed near Manchester where they raised their sons, Donald and Richard. LeRoy passed away Oct. 22, 1980. Cora moved to Cedar Rapids, then to Belle Plaine to be near her sisters.

Cora enjoyed collecting porcelain kittens, playing penny slots at the casino and sharing her conservative political beliefs. She was close to her family, siblings and her joy was her grandkids.

Cora is survived by 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren; three sisters, Leola Hines of Alabama, Dorothy Davis of Gillman, and Betty Cavanaugh of Emmons, Minn.; one brother, Floyd Thibadeau of Delhi; a brother-in-law, Ray Hines of Belle Plaine; and two daughters-in-law, Sondra “Gail” Spitler of Austin, Texas, and Eileen Frey of Waterloo.

Cora was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Cora Thibadeau; her husband, LeRoy Spitler; her two sons, Donald Spitler on Sept. 29, 1967, and Richard Spitler on Nov. 21, 1994; a sister, Lyda Hines; and a brother, Donald Thibadeau.

Cora will be missed and loved by her family.

Please sign the online guest book for Cora at under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette Oct. 26, 2011.