Obituary of Mavis Richard

A funeral service will be held Wednesday, July 2, 2014 at 2:00pm at the United Methodist Church in Lake Park. Burial will be at Silver Lake Cemetery. Visitation will be on Tuesday, July 1st from 4:00-6:00pm at the United Methodist Church. Mavis Fern Richard, the daughter of Nancy (Moulton) and Conrad Molendorp was born August 8, 1924 in Allendorf, Iowa. The family farmed in the Allendorf area where Mavis attended country school for one year. In the early 1930"s the family moved to the family farm south of Lake Park, Iowa. Mavis attended Excelsior School where she completed eighth grade. On November 26, 1943, Mavis was united in marriage to LaVerne Leon Richard in Tampa, Florida. While LaVerne as in Italy serving in WWII, Mavis established a home for them and planted their first crop. Mavis was a member at the Excelsior United Methodist Church and was active in UMW. She is currently a member of the Lake Park United Methodist Church. Mavis raised four children. She enjoyed fishing, playing cards, cribbage, sewing, and family time. Her great love was farming. Farming is hard work, but she loved to be on a tractor in an open field. Being a good steward to the land and the livestock they owned was important. Family fishing trips were always a special time. In the late 1990's Mavis and LaVerne moved to Lake Park, Iowa, where she continued to ride her garden tractor and tend her yard. Mavis passed away June 28, 2014 at the Lake Park Care Center at the age of eighty-nine surrounded by family,. Mavis is survived by her children Janice (Bruce) Bush of Milford, Iowa; Connie (Gary) Newell of Aberdeen, SD, Gary (Bobbie) Richard of Estherville, Iowa; Terry (Kelly) Richard of Lake Park, Iowa; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mavis was preceded in death by her spouse of 70 years, LaVerne Richard; parents, Conrad and Nancy Molendorp; brother Eldon Molendorp; granddaughter, Wendy Newell.