Mary Kay Diers

MARY KATHRYN DIERS

Wayland

Mary Kathryn Diers, 85, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, April 22, 2022, at Parkview Nursing Home in Wayland, Iowa.

Mary Kay was born at home on June 23, 1936, east of Martinsburg, Iowa, to Merl and Dorothy (Shafer) Sutton. She grew up on the family farm west of Hedrick, Iowa, and graduated from Hedrick High School with the Class of 1953. To further her love of music, she attended and taught piano at the Ottumwa Conservatory of Music after graduation. She married Robert H. Diers on March 21, 1954, at Hope Lutheran Church in Germanville, Iowa. They farmed and raised three children southwest of Germanville from 1954 to 1987. They moved to Wayland, Iowa, in 1987, where she lived the remainder of her life.

Mary Kay's love of music was shared happily with many children and adults as she taught piano and organ lessons for most of her life. She also played the organ and piano for many churches including Hope Lutheran in Germanville, First Augustana Lutheran in Lockridge, Faith Lutheran in Mount Pleasant, Immanuel Lutheran in Fairfield and St. Paul Lutheran in Hedrick One of her true joys in later years was accompanying "Sounds of Washington," a singing group for special needs individuals.

She grew up a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, became a member of Hope Lutheran Church after marriage, and was a current member of Augustana Lutheran Church until her death. She enjoyed traveling with her husband, Bob, until his death in May 2008. She was a lifelong fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Iowa Hawkeyes. She enjoyed visiting with family and friends and a good card game was her favorite pastime. She was an amazingly patient, optimistic and loving person. Her ever present smile was her trademark.

She is survived by her children, Dwight R. Diers (Nancy) of Fairfield, Deb K. Roth (Reg) of Wayland and David W. Diers (Stacey) of West Branch; eight grandchildren, Heidi (Randy) Fulsaas, Jenni (Matt) Slagel, Preston Roth, Malachi (Megan) Roth, Ethan (Heather) Roth, Mark Diers, Dalton Diers and Drew Diers; six great-grandchildren, Brody, Kenzie and Bentley Fulsaas, Gavin and Corinne Slagel and Owen Roth; two sisters-in-law, Nancy Sutton and Ruth (Larry) Rhoades; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two brothers, Charles Sutton and Melvin Sutton; a sister-in-law, Betty Sutton; and a brother-in-law, Everett Diers.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 27, at Hope Lutheran Church in Germanville with the Rev. John Meyer officiating. Following the service, there will be a time of food and fellowship. Burial will follow in New Sweden Lutheran Cemetery, rural Lockridge. Friends may call after 2 p.m. Tuesday at Murphy Funeral Home in Mount Pleasant, where the family will be present from 5 to 7 p.m. that evening. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be designated to WACO Music Boosters, New Sweden Cemetery or First Augustana Lutheran Church in her memory.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com.

Murphy Funeral Home of Mount Pleasant is assisting the family with the arrangements.