Mary Ann Monroe, age 94 of Lake View, IA, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 6, at Odebolt Specialty Care in Odebolt, IA. Mary Ann was born on July 30, 1930, to parents Clyde and Catherine (Honeyman) Monroe in Lake View. She grew up and attended school in Lake View. Mary Ann graduated with the Class of 1948 from Lake View High School. After graduating, she went to work for Lake View Lumber until being transferred to the main office in Storm Lake, IA. There, she was the assistant buyer and was in charge of setting up and keeping inventory for all of their lumberyards. Several years later, Catherine, her mother, was injured which brought Mary Ann back to Lake View where she took a job at Griffin Construction.

   In 1967, Mary Ann became self-employed when she started a new business named Mary Ann’s Draperies and Dress Fabrics. She owned and operated this business until selling it in 1980. Mary Ann also partnered with Nola Foster at The Paint Box as well as with Bette Phillips at the popcorn shop. She was not afraid of a little hard work. Give Mary Ann a hammer, saw, and pile of lumber and let her go…she’d be sure to build you something amazing. Over the years she built kitchen cabinets as well as many other pieces of furniture.

   When not building things, Mary Ann could be found bowling or even out on the golf course. She was a sanction bowler for over fifty years and with her mother as her partner, won doubles. She loved sports, period. She also had a huge heart for animals and over the years had several cats and/or dogs that she loved dearly, especially her cat, Callie, and her dog, Taffy.

   Mary Ann served on the Lake View Historical Committee starting in 1991, as well as on the Planning and Zoning Committee for the City of Lake View. She was a member of St. Joseph Church in Wall Lake, IA.

   As good as she was at building things and playing sports, cooking was not her ‘thing’ and she was never too shy to admit that. She often made the statement: “I don’t like the kitchen and the kitchen doesn’t like me!” Mary Ann will certainly be missed by all who knew and loved her. May she rest in peace.

   Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Clyde and Catherine Monroe.