Wall, Leta Marie Blochlinger

Leta Marie Blochlinger Wall, 90, of Cedar Rapids, died Friday, April 5, 2013, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy, Hiawatha. Services: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, St. Jude Catholic Church, by the Rev. Mark Reasoner. Burial: St. Joseph Cemetery. A vigil service will be 3 p.m. Monday at Teahen Funeral Home, where friends may visit Monday from 3 to 8 p.m., and at the church Tuesday after 9:30 a.m.

Survivors include her three sons, Dan (Janey), Dave (Kathy) and Doug (Robin), all of Cedar Rapids; five grandchildren, Theresa, Scott, Brent, Shawn and Adam; and four great-grandchildren, Wyatt, Nathan, Bailey and Layla. Also surviving are two sisters, Margaret Ceynar of Des Moines and Patricia Salzbrenner of Cedar Rapids.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, James E. in 2005; and a grandson, Drew in 2012.

Leta Marie Blochlinger was born April 7, 1922, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Joseph and Anna Schuknecht Blochlinger. She attended St Patrick's School and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1940. During the war, she rode the Interurban Train (now called the CRANDIC) back and forth to Iowa City to attend the University of Iowa. She waitressed at restaurants to pay for college, and she often slept on the train during the ride home. On occasion she was so exhausted that she slept through her stop, missed getting off the train, and ended up back down in Iowa City.

She married James E. Wall on Sept. 29, 1943, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, while he was on leave from the Navy. She graduated from University of Iowa with a BA degree in 1944. She worked at McKinley High School, Mercy Hospital, Wilson Packing, Linn County, and the State of Iowa.

While working and raising a family, she went back to school and received her master's in Social Work from the University of Iowa in 1971. She retired in 1986 after 19 years as a supervisor for the Iowa Department of Social Services.

Leta traveled extensively and had visited 49 of 50 states and six of seven continents worldwide. She loved to sail on cruise ships and was especially proud of the awards she won for her skits and acting during the onboard talent shows. She enjoyed visiting her sister, Pat, and brother-in-law, Bill, in Las Vegas during the winter.

She was a member of the American Public Welfare Association, National Association of Social Workers, University of Iowa Old Gold Club, Phoenix Club, National Silver Haired Congress, served as a board member for AARP and the Witwer Senior Center, and served on the Linn County Task Force of Heritage Agency on Aging. She served on the Linn County Condemnation Commission. She was active in the IBEW 405 Retirees Club.

She was elected to the Older Iowans Legislature and was a senior advocate most of her life. In 2005, she was awarded the prestigious Andrus Award given by AARP for Community Service in the State of Iowa. In 2007, she was awarded the Governor's Volunteer of the Year Award.

Leta was very active in politics and the Democratic Party starting in the 1950s.Leta and Bob Connet were vice chairmen in 1960 when they escorted then Senator John F. Kennedy around Iowa as he was campaigning for president. Leta campaigned for many elected Democrats in all offices and had met all the Democratic presidential nominees and presidents. Leta was elected to the Hall of Fame of the Linn County Democratic Party in 1991.

Leta loved acting and often appeared in television commercials and on stage at Theatre Cedar Rapids. She helped in the formation of a Reader's Theatre Group at TCR here in Cedar Rapids. She did numerous commercials and public service ads about elder abuse, the cost of prescription drugs for seniors (before it became a Medicare benefit), and the no smoking ban in restaurants and bars. Leta was Eastern Iowa's version of the “Where's the Beef” little old lady on TV. Those who knew Leta said that she was always on stage, a true performer. Her favorite line was “Give me a crowd an I'm on.”

Jim and Leta were founding members of St. Jude's Parish and she had worked in the beverage tent at the Sweet Corn Festival ever since 1976.

Leta was renowned for her neighborhood annual “Bucket Party,” her celebration of St. Patty's Day, and numerous Christmas parties she hosted. She enjoyed dancing. Leta exemplified the “work hard and play hard” philosophy. She was a spirited lady who always let you know how she felt without offending you. Leta was a kind and giving person who gave endlessly of her time and resources. She lived a very blessed life and is now reunited with her Savior, her husband and grandson.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Online condolences, notes and stories about Leta may be left for the family at www.teahenfuneralhome.com.

Published April 7, 2013 in The Gazette