Obituary of Mary McNutt

Mary Elizabeth McNutt, age 90, formerly of rural Iowa City, died December 10, 2008. Visitation at the Gay & Ciha Funeral Home is from 4:00 to 7:00 PM on Thursday December 18. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 AM Friday, December 19, 2008 at the First United Methodist Church in Iowa City, the Reverend Paul Akin officiating. All attending the services are encourage to park around the church, as Sunday parking will be in effect. Burial will be held at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Iowa City. Memorial Donations can be made to Johnson County 4-H. Online condolences may be sent to Mary’s family through our website @www.gayandciha.com Mary Elizabeth Kadera was born September 22, 1918 in Graham Township Johnson County, Iowa. The daughter of Ed and Martha Florence Herdliska Kadera, she was a descendent of several of Johnson County’s pioneer families who immigrated in the 1840-50’s. Mary was raised on the farm through the depression years, and developed virtues of this generation including generosity, and thriftiness. Following graduation from West Branch High School in 1936, she enrolled at Iowa State University, receiving a degree in Home Economics in 1940. Mary then taught school in Kalona, and later in LeMars, Iowa. Mary had met Paul McNutt, the love of her life, while they were students at ISU, and on June 1, 1941 they were married at the Methodist Church in West Branch, Iowa. During World War II, Mary accompanied Paul as he served in the United States Army Air Corps. Paul and Mary returned to Iowa where they operated Elmira Farms northeast of Iowa City first with Mary’s father and later with son, John. Mary believed in family, farming and community, being involved in many church, civic and farming organizations. Mary had a lifetime love of 4-H, first as a youth and then later as a leader and county youth committee member. As a young woman she was also involved in Farm Bureau Women, TPM, TTT, PEO and O.E.S. and the Methodist Church. In 1948, the Cedar Rapids Gazette recognized Paul and Mary as young farm family of the year. In midlife, she was a national director for the National Livestock and Meat Board and was appointed by Governor Robert Ray to the Iowa Department of Environmental Quality. Mary was an active member of the Iowa Porkette Association. In 1993 Mary was named one of four Iowa Master Farm Homemakers by Wallace Farmer magazine. In the 1980’s Paul and Mary became very active in the Iowa City Rotary Club, and Mary supported Paul as District Governor of Rotary District 600. They enjoyed many trips abroad to attend Rotary International events. Mary attended her last local Rotary meeting on December 4, 2008 through the loving support of her friends. Mary had a strong personality, willful and vocal, and was a rock of strength for family. She had a remarkable memory for people and events and was a wonderful and humorous source of historical, social and agriculture lore. Strangers were only friends she hadn’t met and would always go out of her way to engage friends and family, and in her mature years would offer quiet companionship to the people around her. Her thriftiness has left our families with a treasure trove of ancestral heritage, which gives us warm insight into her full life as a child, young woman, lover, mother and parent. Her affection and guidance as the matriarch of her family will be greatly missed. Her family includes her son Dr. James McNutt DVM and his fiancée, Susan Brigham of rural Iowa City; daughter and her husband, Marty and Dale Port of Cedar Falls; son John McNutt and his wife, Ilene Lande also of rural Iowa City; eight grandchildren, Alana McNutt, Ashton McNutt, Caroline Brigham; Raquel and her husband Josh Malin, Paul Port, Scott Port and his wife Erin; Allen McNutt and his wife Kirsten, Michael McNutt, Ellison McNutt; two great grandchildren, Grace Elizabeth and Lance Malin; sister Ruth Raines of Hamilton MT, brother in-law Merle McNutt, Austin, MN and sister in-law Evelyn McNutt of St. Angsar IA. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Paul E. McNutt, sister Jean Gilbert, brothers- in-law Frank Gilbert, Craig Raines, Millard and Wayne McNutt; sisters-in-law Barbara and LaNelle McNutt, and grandchild Madison Brigham.