Murtis Smith
Murtis Smith passed away peacefully September 19, 2022, at the age of 97.
Murtis Marie Mable Gordanier was born October 13, 1924, in Postville Township (Allamakee County) Iowa, initially living on a farm and attending a one room country schoolhouse. At age 10, her mother passed away of unknown causes, and the family moved to Postville where they operated the Gordanier dry-cleaning business.
From 1947-50 Murtis attended the Registered Nurse Program at the University of Iowa and worked as an RN at UI Hospitals and Clinics until her marriage to Andrew Clark Smith of Charles City on June 15, 1952. They moved to Detroit where Andy completed his medical internship and residency. Murtis gave birth to Craig (1954) and Karen (1956) while working at Henry Ford Hospital in the Surgery Outpatient Clinic and as a float nurse. In 1956, the family moved to Waterloo.
While Andy and Murtis supported many organizations philanthropically, they believed in the value of nursing. Their endowed scholarships have supported more than 40 students at Allen College in Waterloo and the University of Iowa College of Nursing over the last 20 years.
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Lois Plummer Hartline
Lois Plummer Hartline, 90, died Wednesday, December 22, 2021 at Wesley Acres.
Lois was born January 24, 1931 in Altoona to Clifford and Opal (Johnson) Plummer. She was a proud East High School graduate. Lois earned her BSN and secondary teaching certificate from the University of Iowa, and while on campus, she competed as the only woman on the UI's club fencing team.
Lois worked as a school nurse for more than 40 years in the Des Moines Public School System. During her career, Lois developed and implemented health screening schedules and established community partnerships to complete vision screenings for all students. Upon her retirement in 2004, Lois received the Governor of the State of Iowa's Certificate of Appreciation for outstanding service to Iowa's children.
Lois established her own scholarship in the UI College of Nursing (https://nursing.uiowa.edu/alumni-friends/news/2/25/2020) in addition to several other scholarships at Grand View University, Iowa State University, East High School and Grace United Methodist Church.
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Margaret Loghry
Margaret (Williams) Loghry passed away Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, at Keystone Senior Living in North Liberty. She was 99 years old. Margaret was a member of the Iowa Cremation Society and in keeping with current COVID protocols, no services or visitation will be held. Honorary memorials are encouraged to The Hawkeye Wrestling Club, Cedar Valley Humane Society or The University of Iowa Foundation to benefit the College of Nursing or Stead Family Children's Hospital.
Margaret was born May 24, 1921, in Fairbank, Iowa, the daughter of J.H. and Amelia (Lehman) Williams. Margaret enjoyed an idyllic childhood with her brother Bob and sister Mary (Oldfather) as they explored the banks of the Wapsi and Iowa small-town life. Margaret graduated from Fairbank High School in 1938 where her father had been superintendent of schools. Her connections to Fairbank continued throughout her entire life. Following her freshman year at Upper Iowa University, Margaret enrolled at the University of Iowa School of Nursing, graduating in 1943 at the peak of World War II. She was employed as a nursing supervisor in the Department of Orthopedics and taught orthopedic nursing at the university's School of Nursing, working directly for Dr. Steindler and Dr. Ponsetti
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Trudy Laffoon
Trudy Ann Laffoon, 65, of Iowa City, died on Thursday, December 17, 2020 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics surrounded by family.
Trudy was born on May 6, 1955 in Abingdon, IL, the daughter of Harold and Cathern (Petrie) Griffeth. She is a graduate of Washington High School in Washington, IA, where she was active in cheerleading and twirling.
Trudy received her Doctorate of Nursing while working as a nurse manager at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. She was a member of multiple boards and committees, published in several medical journals and won numerous awards. She also taught nursing at Kirkwood Community College.
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Meridean Maas
Meridean Leone Maas, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor Emerita, College of Nursing, the University of Iowa, 86, of Iowa City, Iowa, died on November 13, 2020, suddenly at her home. She was a very strong, supportive and loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. Meridean was an empathic advocate, passionate educator and beloved mentor. She believed goals could be met and potential reached with the appropriate support and hard work.
Meridean was born June 11, 1934, in Marshalltown, Iowa, as an only child to Miriam (Johnson) Speas and Kenneth Speas. She excelled in school and was successful playing as the high-scoring forward on the 6-on-6 Union-Whitten Varsity basketball team beginning as an 8thgrader. Meridean married Richard (Dick) Maas, Union, Iowa, on August 22, 1954. She often mused that she “had an eye” on Dick, the blonde, curly-haired, athlete throughout school and they eventually became high school sweethearts. He was the love of her life for more than 65 years.
Meridean attended the University of Iowa where she completed her Bachelor and Master in nursing degrees. She began her nursing career in research with Dr. Myrtle Adylotte at the University of Iowa Hospitals. Later, she worked as a nurse educator in Chicago while Dick completed his doctoral degree in Optometry. In 1959, they returned to live in Liscomb, Iowa, in the historical John W. Tripp House at the end of Main Street where Meridean’s grandparents, H.D. (Dick) and Mabel Johnson, lived for many years. Meridean served as the Director of Nursing at the Evangelical Hospital and School of Nursing in neighboring Marshalltown, Iowa.
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Janice May Hunter
Janice May (Huey) Hunter, 97, died peacefully Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at Oaknoll Retirement Center.
Janice Huey Hunter was born January 1, 1923 on the family farm, three miles outside of Sutliff, Iowa in Cedar County, the daughter of Marjorie and Forest Huey. Growing up on the farm, her mom wrote out a list of chores for Janice to do. There were some she liked, such as milking cows, and others she did not, such as washing the cream separator. Janice enjoyed participating in 4H and rode her bike everywhere. She attended Prairie Bell Rural School and graduated from Lisbon High School at the age of 16. She went to Cornell College for two years and received her teaching certificate. However, Janice felt called to the profession of nursing and entered the Nursing Cadet Corps during World War II. Janice met Walter Hunter at a spring dance at the University and they were married in 1946. She received her RN from the University of Iowa in 1947.
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Jean Torgerson
Jean E. Torgerson, 82, of Minnetonka, MN, formerly of Mason City, passed away on Thursday, August 27, 2020 at the Glenn Minnetonka.
Jean was born July 2, 1938 in Albert Lea, MN, the daughter of Harold and Rose (Hove) Johnson. She graduated from Northwood High School and the University of Iowa College of Nursing. Jean married Jerry Torgerson September 3, 1960 in Northwood. They resided in Iowa City and Belmond before moving to Mason City in 1967. Jean was employed at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa for 30 years.
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Jacqueline Ann McCollum
Jacqueline Ann (Kessler) McCollum, age 82, passed away peacefully June 24, 2020, due to kidney and congestive heart failure. She was born May 6, 1938, in Yankton, South Dakota to Dr. Wendell and Geneva Kessler. She married her high school sweetheart and love Robert L. McCollum on May 21, 1960. They just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.
Jackie graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.S. in Nursing, following in her mother’s and father’s medical professions. Her father was the local doctor in Springfield, South Dakota and her mother was a nurse. Jackie worked as a school nurse, public health nurse, and on a special project on diabetes.
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Norma J. McNay
Norma Jean (Muegge) McNay passed away peacefully in her home on Saturday, January 11, 2020. She was born August 21, 1937 in Dover, MO, the daughter of Walter and Oneta (Shires) Muegge.
On June 30, 1956, Norma and Conrad McNay were united in marriage at Immanuel Baptist Church in Quincy. They celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary last year.
Norma attended Quincy Schools and graduated from high school in 1955. She then attended the University of Iowa in Iowa City and graduated in 1959 with honors and was awarded her BSN. She began her career as a nurse at Blessing Hospital in 1959 and worked as an RN and also taught at Blessing-Rieman School of Nursing. On December 13, 2019 Norma was given an honorary Masters of Nursing degree for her 55 years of service to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
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Sheila Lyne
Former UI College of Nursing Professor Sister Sheila Lyne, 83, died of natural causes March 10, 2020.
Lyne was born on Chicago’s South Side. She got a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1960 and a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing in 1965 from St. Xavier University in Chicago. She taught psychiatric nursing at the University of Iowa in the late 1960s.
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Roberta Bowdish
Roberta Joyce Bowdish, 72, of Des Moines, Iowa, died on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at the Taylor Hospice House in Des Moines. She was born on April 2, 1947, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Bruce and Mary (Harbison) Bowdish. She was raised in Northeast Iowa, and graduated from Elkader High School in 1965.
Joyce was educated as a diploma nurse at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois, and completed a bachelor of nursing degree at the University of Iowa and a master of nursing and certificate as a geriatric nurse practitioner at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. She was licensed as both an adult nurse practitioner and geriatric nurse practitioner by the Arizona Board of Nursing and was certified as a gerontological nurse practice by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Joyce practiced in a variety of nursing positions over the years, starting as a staff nurse in the Veterans Administration and University of Iowa Hospitals. She worked for 10 years in a variety of roles in a Visiting Nurse Association in Iowa. She also taught BSN students at the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire for two years and MSN students seeking a geriatric nurse practitioner role for three years at the University of Arizona. For four years, Joyce served as the geriatric specialist in the Iowa Department of Public Health.
Sally Feeney
Sally Patricia (Seeker) Feeney died peacefully at home with family on July 12, 2019. She was preceded in death by her husband Thomas Joseph Feeney. Parents, William F. & Helen F. Seeker, sisters Mary Ann Seeker and Helen (Seeker) Burlbaw.
Sally lived a full life. She was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, and intermittently resided in St. Louis where she received both her diploma in nursing her Master of Science in Nursing. She also received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Iowa in 1955. Her journey eventually continued to Eau Claire Wisconsin where she raised her five children.
Sally was a professor at the University Eau Claire, WI teaching psychiatric nursing until deciding upon her next adventure. Moving to Nova Scotia where she resided for the next 26 years in Morden as well as becoming a Canadian Citizen. She retired as a clinical Psychiatric Specialist at Berwick Mental Health Services.
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