NORMA MERCER

Memorial Services for Norma Mercer, 90, of Creston, will be at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 30, 2022, at Pearson Family Funeral Service & Cremation Center in Creston. Reverend Bob Culbertson will officiate. The service will be livestreamed on the Pearson Funeral Home website, under Norma’s obituary tab. The family will greet friends from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Saturday at the funeral home. Inurnment will be at 2:00 p.m., Saturday at Rose Hill Cemetery in Mount Ayr. Memorial contributions may be directed to the family. Memories and condolences can be left at www.pearsonfuneralhomes.com.
Norma Ilene (Rice) Mercer of Creston, IA was born September 10, 1931, in Corvallis, OR to Howard and Ora (Walter) Rice and passed away on April 22, 2022, at the MercyOne Hospice House in Johnston, IA with her husband and daughter at her side. Norma was the oldest of three children, having younger brothers, Donald D. Rice, and Marvin R. Rice. When Norma was an infant, her parents returned from Oregon to Mount Ayr, IA where she lived until 1957. She received her education through the eighth grade in the one-room country schools of Ringgold County and graduated from the Mount Ayr High School in 1950.
Following graduation, Norma became the secretary for the Superintendent of Schools for the Mount Ayr School District and later worked for the REC in Mount Ayr. She and her husband moved to Creston in the fall of 1957, opening their own business, Mercer Conoco. After starting her family in 1958, Norma was at home for several years, returning to work in 1969 as a secretary for the Creston School District, first at the high school and later at the Cromwell building. Throughout her life, Norma had jobs at Lane Grocery Store in Mount Ayr during high school, Wal-Mart Pharmacy in Creston, Southwestern Community College in Creston and was an Independent Mary Kay Consultant for several years. Norma also was the bookkeeper for her husband’s business.
On March 6, 1954, Norma married Billy B. Mercer of Mount Ayr at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA. To this union two daughters were born: Kathryn Marie and LeAnn Renee. Norma was a very active volunteer in all her daughters’ activities, her church and community. She was a Sunday School Teacher, Deaconess and Treasurer at the First Christian Church in Creston, volunteered many hours with PTA, Girl Scouts, Rainbow Girls, 4-H, delivered Meals on Wheels and was a Hospital Auxiliary member and volunteered in the hospital gift/coffee shop for almost 30 years dating all the way back to the old hospital on Oak Street.
Norma enjoyed many hobbies including sewing, crocheting, quilting, ceramics and making porcelain dolls. She created many wonderful things for family and friends throughout the years. Norma and Bill traveled to 46 states, Canada, and Mexico. They enjoyed spending the winter months in Apache Junction, AZ for 25 years. Norma loved to play all kinds of card games and a family marble game called Wa-Hoo, especially with the grandchildren. She was very competitive when it came to games, and she enjoyed playing bridge in local clubs and several different card games online with people from all over the world. In retirement, Norma enjoyed having morning coffee with friends several times a week at various locations in Creston.
A dream come true for Norma was getting to attend a taping of The Price is Right in 2005 when Bob Barker was still the host. She was not chosen to “come on down,” but was thrilled to be in the audience and on TV!
A highlight in Norma’s life was she and Bill getting to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary at The Little Brown Church with their family in attendance. Norma was baptized in 1957 at the First Christian Church in Mount Ayr. She was a member of the First Christian Church in Creston from the fall of 1957 until the time of her death. Norma was a wonderful wife and mother; her grandchildren were the joy of her life, and she was thrilled to get to be a great grandmother.
Norma is survived by her husband of 68 years, Bill Mercer of Creston, IA, daughter, Kathy (Daryl) Leffler of Urbandale, IA, grandsons, David (April) Leffler of Urbandale, IA and Kevin (Jen) Leffler of Manning, IA, granddaughters, Cori Leffler of Urbandale, IA and Lizzy Garcia of El Paso, TX, seven great grandchildren, Violet and Evelyn Leffler of Urbandale, IA, Ada, Greta, August and Nora Leffler of Manning, IA and Arianna Garcia of El Paso TX, sister-in-law, Carolyn Rice of Leon, IA, many nieces and nephews, other extended family and friends. Norma was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, daughter, LeAnn Mercer, in 2019 and granddaughter, Katie Leffler, in 2021.