Obituary of Mary K. Coburn

Mary K. Coburn 87, of 2015 A St., Iowa City passed away Saturday, March 22, 2008, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, following a brief illness. Services will be held 1:00 pm Tuesday, March 27, 2008, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City, where visitation will be held 1 hour prior to services. Burial will be held at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Iowa City. In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made in her memory to Iowa City Hospice. Online condolences may be sent for her family through the web @ www.gayandciha.com. Mary Katherine Leeper Coburn was born June 13, 1920, in Newton, Iowa. She married Lowell E. Coburn on June 13, 1939, in Brooklyn, Iowa. Following the death of her husband in 1963, she learned to drive, went to Commercial College to learn secretarial skills, and for over twenty years served as Secretary to the Chief of Police in Iowa City. In retirement she spent her days gardening and raising flowers in the summer, and crocheting afghans in the winter months. She has always had a dog for a companion and was very devoted to each of them. Every holiday season, her homemade candies were highly anticipated and relished by all. Mary gained the respect and love of all who knew her! Her family includes her three children, Keith W. J. Coburn and his wife, Marilyn of West Branch, Lowell “Mike” Coburn Jr. of Iowa City, and Ruth H. Ezell and her husband, Tom of Many, LA; grandchildren, Kelly Coburn (Becky), Dan Coburn (Mary Pat), Julie Brohammer (Tom), Tom Coburn (Carrie), Kari Rivers (Barry), and Mark Ezell (Tessa); ten great-grandchildren, and three sisters, Frances Griffith and Lorraine Estes both of Brooklyn, IA, and Emma Lou Phelan of Cherokee, IA. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Lowell; brothers, Robert and William Leeper, and sister, Pauline Calderwood. A special thank you to Iowa City Hospice for their loving support of Mary and her family over this past month. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Mary’s family and her services.