Leota Mether

Leota May Mether was born on November 28, 1934, to Milton and Lucille (Turner) Metcalf near the Mondamin orchards. She was raised in “God’s Country”, along with her siblings, Janice and Cletus. Leota loved working outside with her father and was quite the tomboy. Leota also loved learning about her Lord Jesus and accepted Him as her personal savior as a young girl. From that moment on Leota made it her personal mission to share “her sweet Jesus” with everyone she met.  Leota first learned how to play the piano at 10 years old. Once she became skilled at the piano, she was given an accordion, and became an accomplished performer. Leota graduated from Magnolia High School in 1953. After graduation, Leota worked in Council Bluffs, Iowa, at Laustrops during the day and teaching piano lessons in the evening. Leota always told her family she was going to get a trailer and a bulldog and teach lessons, but she had not planned on the love she would find with Leroy. Leota married Walter Leroy Mether on December 27, 1954, at the Methodist Church in Magnolia.

Leroy and Leota lived in Kileen, Texas, and then moved to Omaha, Nebraska. Leota worked at St. Joseph’s Hospital as a nurse’s aide and took-in ironing. She cherished spending time with family; so the couple traveled to Harrison County every weekend to visit family and attend church. They next lived on several farms in Harrison County before settling north of Magnolia, where they purchased the Pern Bedsaul Farm. During those years, Leota worked alongside of Leroy. They famed and raised livestock for various landlords and were actively   involved in church. Leota loved all people and did not know a stranger. She gave music lessons as her profession, but her students were blessed with so much more than learning to play an instrument as Leota’s heart’s desire was to encourage her students in their daily lives and to share Christ’s love with them. Leota loved growing a variety of flowers and also playing the organ. Her final mission field was at Rose Vista where she taught Bible studies, shared her gift of music and blessed the lives of all she met.

Leota died on October 23, 2019, at Community Memorial Hospital in Missouri Valley, Iowa at the age of 84 years, 10 months and 25 days.

Leota was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Leroy Mether; brother, Cletus Metcalf; granddaughter, Melissa Mether; and nephew, Dean Dingman. She is survived by two sons, Cory (Joanne) Mether and Curtis (Anita) Mether all of Magnolia, Iowa; eight grandchildren, Lynn (Arienne) Mether, Jennifer (Jeremy) Andregg, Randy Mether and fiancé, Ashley, Felicia (Carl) Beers, Michelle (Chris) Bergst, Jessica (Elliot) Milovich, Daniel Mether and Shawna Mether; 16 great-grandchildren; sister, Janice (Gary) Dingman of Omaha, Nebraska; and many other relatives and friends.