Obituaries : JoAnne Blattler Levenhagen

JoAnne Blattler Levenhagen, age 95, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 9, 2019, at her home in the Meth-Wick Community.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM, Friday, December 13, 2019, at the Phillips Funeral Home Chapel (212 E. 6th Street) in Vinton. Interment will be held at Oakwood Cemetery in Shellsburg. Visitation will be held from 9:00 AM until service time on Friday at the funeral home. A memorial fund has been established.

JoAnne was born on November 23, 1924, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Jacob and Phoebe (Matthews) Gerber. She graduated from Roosevelt High School in Cedar Rapids and attended Mt. Mercy and Kirkwood Community College. On July 25, 1944, she was united in marriage to Charles R. "Dick" Blattler at Trinity Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids. He preceded JoAnne in death in 1968. On April 15, 1979, she married Fred E. Levenhagen at the Shellsburg Presbyterian Church. Fred preceded JoAnne in death in 2004. JoAnne worked as the Shellsburg Community Schools district secretary for 14 years. She served as president of the Shellsburg School Board, and was a Sunday School teacher, and superintendent of elementary education at the Shellsburg Presbyterian Church. She also volunteered as a Cub Scout and Campfire Girl's leader. JoAnne was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary #166 and the Shellsburg Women's Club. She moved to Tacoma, WA in 1979 and was a member and president of the Grace Lutheran congregation in Tacoma. Following Fred's death, JoAnne moved to Cedar Rapids, and had been a resident at the Meth-Wick Community for the past 12 years.

She is survived by her daughters, Krista (Everett) Krug of Hiawatha, Kathryn (Wayne) Pegum of Eatonville, WA; sons, Richart (Sue) Blattler of Shellsburg, Randy (Shari) Blattler of Oskaloosa; 7 grandchildren, Lisa, Adam, Erin, Stephen, Sarah, Kelsey, and Chris; 14 great-grandchildren, August, Jordan, Shayna, McKenzie, Nick, Ethan, Macy, Isabella, Delilah, Elliot, Carver, Ava, Carmyn, and Caleb; 2 step-great-grandchildren, Ryllie, and Korbin; and 2 great-great grandchildren, Jaxon, and Angelissa; and 12 grand-dogs.

In addition to her parents, and husbands, Dick and Fred, JoAnne was preceded in death by her brother, John Gerber; and her sister Jean Shahan Karrick.

On-line condolences may be left at www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com