Pamela S. Widmer

WILLIAMSBURG ? Pamela Sue Widmer, 62, of Williamsburg, died Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, at her home after a courageous 20-month battle with ovarian cancer.

Celebration of life service will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 9, at West Union Mennonite Church in rural Parnell. Visitation will be from 2 until 7 p.m., Wednesday at the Powell Funeral Home in Williamsburg. Memorials may be made to Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Crooked Creek Christian Camp, or West Union Mennonite Church.

Mrs. Widmer was born May 17, 1954, in Clinton, the daughter of Eugene and Helen (Schmidt) Niebuhr. She met her husband, Kent, during her college years. The couple were married Aug. 21, 1976, at St. John?s Lutheran Church.

She was baptized at St. John?s Lutheran Church and later confirmed at the age of 14. She was nurtured by her parents? example, where she began her unwavering faith journey as well as the development of her gifts of caregiving and kindness to all. Growing up, she enjoyed large family gatherings with many aunts, uncles, and cousins. She also enjoyed the Mississippi River, including family outings at the cabin, fishing, boating, and skiing. She graduated from Clinton High School in 1972 and the University of Iowa in 1976 with a B.S. in nursing. She enjoyed her work as a nurse. In following her husband?s career, she was able to work in various settings and meet many co-workers. She had most recently been a staff nurse at University of Iowa Hospitals, Iowa River Landing Procedure Unit. She had also worked at Marengo Memorial Hospital; Galesburg Cottage Hospital in Galesburg, Illinois; and Ohio State University Hospital, where she received the Annual Excellence in Clinical Nursing Award. She enjoyed both the physical and mental healing aspects of nursing. She was known to be gifted with the ability to connect and gain the trust of all she cared for, no matter their background or mental state, striving to help them to a better place. Her Christian faith continued to grow. At the time of her death, she was a member of the West Union Mennonite Church. She had previously been a member of the Knoxville, Illinois, United Methodist Church. Over the years she served as Sunday school teacher, MYF sponsor, greeter, church librarian, board member of the Methodist Preschool, and many various church committees. She also spent countless hours donating her time and supplying food to various mission programs. She recently completed a three-year term on the MCC Relief Sale quilt committee. She enjoyed her family and spending time with her sons. She also enjoyed attending sporting, drama, and musical events that her sons, nephews and nieces participated in. She enjoyed cooking, family vacations, reading, crocheting, attending Hawkeye sporting events, and her dog. She never missed family gatherings, and loved her extended Widmer family like her own. Last fall, she and her husband enjoyed their 40th anniversary with a trip to Hawaii, as well as their 40th consecutive year of Iowa football season tickets.

Surviving are her parents, of Clinton; her husband, Kent; one son, Josh Widmer of Williamsburg; one sister, Barb Jepsen and husband Dan of Port Byron, Illinois; two brothers, Larry Niebuhr and wife Pam of Eldridge, and Jeff Niebuhr and wife Sharon of Clinton; and sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, and many cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles.

She was preceded in death by her son, Joel Widmer, in February 2014.