Nola Majory Corll Landphair March 13, 1919 – November 10, 2010
Nola Marjory Corll Landphair was born March 13, 1919 to Floyd and Sadie Powel Corll, along with her paternal twin sister, Lola, on the family farm in Washington township. The twins were welcomed by older brothers William and Donald and sister Robyn. Their family was completed with the addition of younger sister Fern and brother Lester. Nola passed away at the age of 91 in Clearview Nursing Home on November 10, 2010, in the presence of her immediate family and the caring Clearview and Hospice of Central Iowa staff.
Nola graduated from Mount Ayr high school in 1938. After graduation she taught in the rural school system. Her first school was located southeast of Kellerton, Iowa.
On November 10, 1942 Nola was united in marriage to Leslie Wilbur Landphair in Princeton, Missouri. Nola and Wilbur lived in the rural Mount Ayr area near the family farm before establishing their home in Mount Ayr. To this union were born two children, daughter Karen and son Ronald.
Nola continued to teach rural school children at the Mountain Brush School in Liberty township and at Poe No. 9 in Poe township. She taught until the rural school system was consolidated with the Mount Ayr school district. Nola’s specialty was dealing with high spirited children, employing her quick wit and sense of humor. Nola was an excellent cook. Using the very same recipes, attempts to duplicate her divinity, peanut brittle and apple dumplings have not been successful. This talent resulted in her recruitment as one of the first cooks at Clearview Home where she worked until 1974. She then became the first manager of the congregate meals, a position she established, until her retirement in 1981.
Nola enjoyed doing a variety of crafts, as exemplified by the many afghans, doll clothes and ceramic figurines she made for children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was instrumental in organizing a genealogy group in Mount Ayr and was a member of the Mount Ayr Methodist Church. Nola and Wilbur would often combine her interest in genealogy and travel to research the family history. She also enjoyed playing a variety of competitive card games. Nola and Wilbur belonged to several card clubs over the years and enjoyed playing cards with neighbors and friends. The grandchildren learned early that if you played cards with Grandma, she played to win.
Nola thoroughly enjoyed her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Many times a cranky grandchild found comfort in Grandma’s lap. Often times camping trips were focused around the accompaniment of grandchildren.
Nola was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, William Corll, Robyn May, Donald Corll, Fern Reynolds and Lester Corll; brothers in-law, Paul Snyder, Harl Landphair, Dean Piper, Jack Terwilliger, Arthur May, Dale Cowles and Junior Reynolds; sisters-in-law, Lavera Cowles and Susie Corll, and great-granddaughter, Anna Catherine Landphair.
Survivors include her husband, Wilbur Landphair of Mount Ayr, Iowa; daughter, Karen and husband Stanley A. Means of Villisca, Iowa; son, Ron and wife Martha Landphair of Redding, Iowa; grandchildren, Brent Means and wife Billee of Villisca, Iowa, Clint Means and wife Shona of Villisca, Iowa, Robyn Means Benco and husband Joe of Scottsdale, Arizona, Tyson Means and wife Tina of Villisca, Iowa, Nicole Landphair Opfer and husband Dave of Kansas City, Missouri and Ron C. Landphair and wife Allyson of Dike, Iowa; 13 great-grandchildren; her twin sister, Lola Terwilliger of Mount Ayr, Iowa; brothers-in-law, Charles and wife Dee Landphair of Humeston, Iowa and Don and wife Rene Landphair of Maple Park, Illinois; sisters-in-law, Louise Corll of Ankeny, Iowa, Venita Snyder of Corydon, Iowa and Blanche and husband Jim Gifford of Westminster, Colorado, Helen Piper of Pasorobles, California, Doris Landphair of Leon, Iowa and Macyl and husband Dick Reeves of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and a host of friends.
A memorial fund has been established to Hospice of Central Iowa.
Services were conducted at Watson-Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr on Monday, November 15, 2010, with Rev. Charles Hawkins officiating. Musicians included Jodi Lawrence and Marvel Melvin.
Casket bearers were Brent Means, Clint Means, Robyn Benco, Tyson Means, Nicole Opfer and Ronald C. Landphair.
Nola was laid at rest in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Mount Ayr.
