Mary L. Tyler

Mary L. Platt Tyler went peacefully on Friday afternoon to join the angels and her loved ones in Heaven. She was living at Prairie Hills at the time. Mary was born August 3, 1916, and recently celebrated her 100th birthday with many friends attending. Her parents were Albert and Lulu Pease Platt. Her parents farmed the land that is now Platt Park, which Mary and her sisters, Alberta and Betty, offered to the city of Camanche for a park. On March 19, 1939, she married Raymond Tyler who preceded her in death in July, 1985. After their retirement in 1980, they had 5 wonderful years of traveling and spending time in Door County and Arizona prior to his death. Visitation will be Tuesday, November 15 at Snell-Zornig, Camanche, from 4 until 7, and the funeral will be at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Camanche on Wednesday, November 16 at 10 o’clock. Pastor Ben LaGrange will conduct the services. Casket bearers will be grandchildren, Rick Willis, Dan Randall, Jim Willis, Jake Tyler, and great grandchildren, Tyler Willis, Eric Willis, Ryan Willis, and Luke Willis. Honorary casket bearers will be Bill Graves, Don Obermiller, Renny Platt, Harold Rycroft, and Tom Stearns. Mary went through Camanche Schools and graduated from Clinton High School with a Normal Training Degree which qualified her to teach. Because of the Depression, she wasn’t able to find a teaching position. She later was hired to teach second grade in Camanche without an actual degree and over the next several years, she earned a teaching degree in Elementary Education by attending night classes and summer school at Mt. St. Clare and Marycrest. She taught second grade in Camanche for many years, retiring in 1980. She was a lifelong member of St. Mark’s Methodist. She belonged to the Camanche Historical Society, Iowa Retired School Personnel, Delta Kappa Gamma, Purple Shadows Red Hat Ladies, and formerly Valley Oaks and the Fulton Golf Association. Her hobbies included reading, golf, china painting, knitting, and traveling, but her favorite was activities with her family. She was also known in the community for her writing of notes to those who were ill or in need of encouragement, and she wrote notes to about 20 people monthly, also sending birthday and anniversary cards to everyone in her church. In her last few years when she couldn’t get out as much, she considered that her mission. In short, she loved people and had many who stopped by to visit her. A life-long resident of Camanche, she has been honored in the last few years in Camanche as the longest resident of Camanche and later as the Grand Marshall of the Camanche Days Parade. She is survived by Lani (Robert) Willis of Muscatine, Barbara Volk of Peoria, Arizona, and daughter-in-law, Linda Tyler of Waterloo. Grandchildren are Rick (Kelly) Willis of Waverly, Barbara (Dan) Randall of Cedar Rapids, Jim (Nicole) Willis of Waverly, Jake Tyler of Waterloo, and Melani (Nick) Nicholson of Glendale, Arizona. There are six great grandchildren; Tyler Willis, Eric Willis, Ryan Willis, Luke Willis, Brooke Willis, and Brady Willis who all live in Waverly, a brother-in-law, Sam McKenrick of Clinton, and many nieces and nephews who have been very good to her and an important part of her life. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her son, Terry, and three sisters, and one brother. Memorials may be made to St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, Camanche Volunteer Fire Department, or the Muscatine Symphony Orchestra.

Mary L. Tyler

August 3, 1916 - November 11, 2016