Three Sisters will lead ‘Let Freedom Ring’ parade

Seated at her sewing machine, Jo Ahrens, with her sisters, Barb Albin and Margery McVay nearby, pauses for a moment then says, “It’s going to be nice riding in the parade and enjoying the day.”

After years of community involvement and doing behind the scenes work with the annual “Let Freedom Ring” celebration, the three sisters and namesake of Three Sisters Fabric and Fashion on the Montezuma Square, will have a different role in this year’s Fourth of July celebration.

The trio has been named 2024 parade marshals of the “Let Freedom Ring” celebration and Parade. The parade gets underway Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

“It’s an acknowledgment of the services we offer,” chimed in Margery, or Marg. “Our customers make us feel appreciated.”

“It’s been fun watching how the store has grown through the years,” said Barb. “Customers come back sometimes to chat and often to have something mended.”

Barb, Jo and Marg are three of 10 children (six boys and four girls) born to Adrian and Nellie McKeag. The family moved a lot before settling in Montezuma in 1962.

Barb Albin

Barb grew up in Grinnell and Montezuma, where she attended school her senior year, graduating in 1963.

“I worked the last semester of my senior year in the office as the principal’s secretary for R.J.H. ‘Doc” Badger,’“ she said. “I later worked for Montezuma Superintendent Lee Thomson as his secretary.”

After serving the school for eight years, Barb took a leave in 1971 for two years before going to work for Vince Johnson at his law office on the Montezuma Square.

Johnson also served as the secretary of the Montezuma School Board at the time. When he retired in 1983, Barb was appointed board secretary, a role she held until fully retiring in 2011.

These days you can find Barb at Three Sisters, where she still does the books.

three Sisters opened in 1991. “I helped Jo move in here,” Barb said. “For years I worked nights and weekends at the fabric shop and kept the books straight.

“I remember working many late evenings and weekends, sometimes at Jo’s house, sewing wedding dresses, bridesmaid gowns and show choir dresses,” Barb said.

“I also cut fabric and helped customers.”

“And I decorated the store front window,” she said.

For the last 10 years, Barb has served as the treasurer of the Montezuma backpack program that provides food to needy Montezuma children and families.

“I help deliver food to the school every week during the school year,” said Barb.

When not volunteering or helping at Three Sisters, Barb and her husband, Bob, a former Montezuma teacher, travel and spend time with their children, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Jo Ahrens

Jo, a 1965 graduate of Montezuma High School, founded Three Sisters.

In high school, she worked briefly in the office with her sister, Barb. After high school, Jo went to work in the Poweshiek County Clerk of Court’s office.

“I did whatever Evelyn Ketels (the clerk) wanted,” Jo said.

After a couple years, Jo returned to the school and worked for principal Doc Badger and Lew Lundy, the then Montezuma superintendent.

“She took the secretary job after I moved up to the superintendent’s office,” said Barb.

She then went to work for Barb Long at Monte Fabrics.

In 1991, Jo purchased the fabric store from Long and moved it to 305 E. Main St., opening on Veterans Day that year.

The store, which is in the same location, was mostly fabric sales but has grown and changed with the times.

Today, you can not only buy fabric and supplies for a dress or making a quilt, you can purchase a new sewing machine, have alterations and mending done, send your clothes out for dry cleaning, get your hunting and fishing licenses, stop for a tan or ship a package via UPS.

And there are also boutique items for sale.

After opening the store, Jo joined the Montezuma Business Boosters, later called the Montezuma Community Boosters.

“We changed it because we wanted input from the community,” said Jo.

For years, she served as president of the Boosters, helping with the parade and bringing in new businesses. Jo said the boosters were instrumental in bringing the Family Dentistry office to Montezuma a few years back.

She’s also been involved with the development of Lake Ponderosa, Lake Silverado and Cimarron Lake alongside her late husband, John, and late mother-in-law, Lu.

In addition to working at Three Sisters and serving the community, Jo enjoys spending time with her four children and two grandchildren.

Marg McVay

Marg is a 1972 graduate of Montezuma High School. She worked as a waitress at Dickey’s at the Malcom I-80 interchange during her junior and senior years.

After high school, Marg went to work for GTE in Grinnell where she spent 31.5 years before retiring in 2003. She served as a secretary and held management positions during her tenure with the company.

“When Jo opened Three Sisters, I was working full-time at GTE and part-time for her,” said Marg.

When Jo broke her hip two years later, Marg started working for her sister full-time.

“I’ve been sewing since I was age 12,” said Marg. “Growing up, I made all of my own clothes.”

Marg also serves as the community help line, saying that people regularly call Three Sisters to find out information about the town or an event.

“We field a lot of questions,” she said. “When people need info, I try and help.”

“Marg doesn’t know a stranger,” said Barb. “She can find an answer to anything.”

Marg said she does her best to help people.

“I enjoy making quilts and doing mending projects,” she said. “I love my job. Every day is different. We do so many different things here.”