Etta Mae (BISHER) CONLEY PETRIE WAGGONER GARITY

BISHER, CONLEY, PETRIE, WAGGONER, GARITY, CAVENDER, LOREN, SCHWARTZTAUBER, SWANSON

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 10/26/2010 at 23:30:25

OBITUARY - ETTA MAE (BISHER) CONLEY
PETRIE WAGGONER GARITY

Etta Mae GARITY one of the six children of John Jacob and Sarah Betsy BISHER and born at Afton, Iowa October 29, 1894 and died July 29, 1962 age 77 years, 8 months and 29 days. Thus closing a long and active life for though she had been handicapped by ill health for several years, she was able to care for her home and go about her usual activities until the day prior to her death.

All her life was spent in Union County: She attended the Shannon City School, graduating from there in 1903 (sic).

She is survived by five children, two of these Alta Lenore CAVENDER of Omaha, Nebraska, and Cecil Claude CONLEY of Running spring, California were born to her marriage to Thomas CONLEY [divorced in 1912]. Three daughters were born of her marriage to James J. PETRIE and one of these, Opal, preceded her in death. The others are Betty LOREN, and Rita Darlene SCHWARTZTAUBER both of Des Moines, Iowa. Mr. PETRIE'S death occurred in September 1947.

By her marriage to Harry WAGGONER and after his death to John GARITY. She is survived by seven step-children.

Mrs. GARITY led an active life taking part in the life of the community as it touched her family. She took great pleasure in the lives of her children and grandchildren and in returning that pleasure to them in many little and loving ways. She was interested in music and her children recall her playing the piano and singing. She enjoyed cooking, and making quilts and other handwork and she also raised flowers. Her interests led her to learn again to drive a car in later years and many will remember her borrowing hundreds of books from the State Traveling Library and loaning them to her friends of Shannon City, thus sharing her love of reading.

Left to cherish her memory are her husband, her children and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by one sister Alta SWANSON of Shenandoah, Iowa. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery, Shannon City, Iowa.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2010