Karen Cleary, 81

Karen Cleary, 81, of Ackley, passed away on Saturday, October 15, 2022, at Grand JiVante in Ackley. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. on Thursday, October 20, 2022 at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Ackley with burial in Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday at the Sietsema Funeral Home in Ackley. 

 

Karen Ann Whitish was born in Estherville, IA on November 1st, 1940 to parents Glen and Elsie (DeWall) Whitish. Her father owned and operated a local gas station with his brothers, and her mother was a homemaker.

During World War II, the family moved to Los Angeles, CA, where her father worked in a Goodyear tire factory to support the war effort. When the war was over, the family moved back to Estherville and Karen graduated from high school there in 1958.

Karen married Donald Iverson on June 4th, 1961 in Estherville. Don completed his education for the next 2 years at Luther College in Decorah, IA, where he earned a music degree in 1963. Three children were born to this marriage: Wendy Iverson, Jeff Iverson, and Kirk Iverson.

 

One of Don’s teaching jobs was in Ackley, IA, where the family lived from 1965 to 1969. It was during this timeframe that she became one of the founding members of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Ackley. In 1976, after the marriage had ended in divorce, Karen and her 3 children moved back to Ackley. She went to work as a secretary for Ryken Engineering in Ackley, where she met her second husband, John Cleary. John was an engineer in the firm who used to stop by her desk and chat with her. She and John married November 25th, 1978 in Ackley, where they raised their family and remained for the rest of their lives.

John and Karen were very active in the Ackley community. They played a role in helping to turn the old Boy Scout property just north of town into the Prairie Bridges campgrounds. They later served on the Prairie Bridges Board. They were very active with Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, where they both served on the church council. Karen also served as the choir director for several years.

 

John and Karen loved camping, fishing, traveling, and above all else, spending time with family and friends. They were loving and supportive parents. They loved their 4 grandchildren and had close relationships with all of them. They spent a lot of time with their siblings and their respective families and were especially close to their nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. They socialized with many friends in the Ackley area, many of them friendships from the 1960’s.

Karen had a strong Lutheran faith and was truly one of the kindest and most congenial people. She was an amazing mother/wife/grandmother/sister/aunt/great-aunt/friend. Her family and friends will miss her dearly.

 

Karen is survived by her children Wendy (Bill) Fredericks of Allen, TX, Jeff (Kris) Iverson of Lewisville, TX and Kirk Iverson of Carrollton, TX; grandchildren Matthew Fredericks of Allen, TX, Mason Fredericks of Austin, TX, Jordan Iverson of Westminster, CO and Madelyne Iverson of Dallas, TX; sisters Janet Zwick of Urbandale and Barbara Kuyper of Saluda, NC; sisters-in-law Janice Cleary of Parkersburg and Margaret (Harlan) Schuck of Parkersburg; nieces Angela (Chris) Trotta of O’Fallon, MO, Heidi Zwick of Windsor Heights, Erin (Dustin) Hemesath of Urbandale, Lynne (Dennis) Mulder of Parkersburg and nephew David (Kristi) Cleary of Parkersburg; 5 great-nieces and 5 great-nephews.

 

She was preceded in death by her husband John Cleary and parents Glen and Elsie Whitish.