LOIS HUNT
Lois Ann Hunt, 80, of Johnston (and Diagonal), IA passed away peacefully with daughters at her side on Thursday, July 7, 2022. She was born in Ponca City, OK, on April 7, 1942, to Bill and Margie (Pfieffer) Jeans. Lois, nicknamed, “Cookie”, attended Ponca City School followed by Oklahoma State University where she graduated with a home economics degree. She was hired by Beaver County Extension in Oklahoma as an Extension Agent in Home Economics and 4-H and the God interceded and sent her to a similar position in Osage County, OK. It was there that she caught the eye of a bachelor rancher, Frank Hunt. After a whirlwind romance of six months, they married on August 27, 1966.
Two years later they moved to southwest Iowa. Frank fell in love with the dark soil and pasture lands. They settled in Diagonal where they raised three daughters. Cookie was well-known for her volunteer work with Ringgold County 4-H as co-leader of the Jolly Jinglers 4-H club, 4-H Youth Committee, Extension Council, and a 4-H fair judge for area counties. Cookie was active in the county Cowbelles. She loved teaching high school Sunday School classes alongside Frank. She also had the privilege of sewing wedding dresses for many young brides in the community.
During the farm crisis of the 80s, Cookie’s dining room table became her office as she helped hundreds of farmers apply for assistance. Following Frank’s passing 35 years ago, she was hired by the SWIA Development District. She received her master’s degree from Iowa State University Extension and had a 20+ year career with them where she served as a Community Development Specialist, Area Extension Director, Interim State Director of Continuing Education and more.
Upon her retirement you couldn’t keep Cookie away from ISU basketball games. She bled red and gold (and orange and black for OSU). Her favorite games of the year were when her two alma maters played each other, and every grandchild would say “Grandma can’t lose today!” Cookie loved her grandchildren’s events including 4-H, FFA, baseball, rodeo, basketball, “wrastling” as she would pronounce it with her OK drawl, football, speech events and so much more. She loved to say each time she attended, “She did well because Grandma was here!”
Lois was preceded in death by her parents, her brother and her husband, Frank.
She is survived by three daughters: Vanette (Travis) Grover of Cresco, Billi Hunt (Mike Elam) of Urbandale and Bobbi (Kevin) Hansen of Chillicothe, MO; ten grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr is in charge of the arrangements.
Services were at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at the United Church of Diagonal in Diagonal, IA.
Officiating was Jim Werner.
Musician was Judy Newton.
Congregational songs were “Amazing Grace” Red Hymnal Page 378, “Blessed Assurance” Red Hymnal Page 369 and “You Are My Sunshine” Words on Back (2 X’s Through).
Casketbearers were Judd Grover, Kyle Hansen, Seth Hansen, Owen Elam, Sam Elam and Mitch Elam.
Casketbearers were Brettyn Grover, Kate Grover, Emily Stukenholtz and Leslie Arnold.
Burial was in the Diagonal Cemetery in Diagonal, IA
Memorials are to the United Church of Diagonal and the Diagonal Cemetery.
