Obituary of Mary Lou Rife
Mary Lou Rife, 83, of Lone Tree, passed away on Friday, February 2, 2018, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Memorial services will be 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday April 4, 2018, at the United Presbyterian Church in Lone Tree. Following the memorial services, a time of food and fellowship will be held at the church. Memorials may be directed to the Hospice at Mercy Hospital or the Lone Tree Fire and Rescue in memory of Mary Lou. Sympathy notes may be left for the family at www.lewisfuneralhomes.com. The Sorden-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation Services of Lone Tree is caring for Mary Lou’s arrangements and her family.
Mary Lou Rife was born on March 6, 1934, in Iowa City, Iowa the daughter of Earl and Lucile (Faires) Rife. She was a 1952 graduate of Lone Tree High School. Mary Lou attended Mercy School of Nursing, Iowa City. Graduating in 1955 as a RN, Family Planning Nurse Practitioner Planned Parenthood, Milwaukee, WI in 1977, and received a Bachelor Science in Nursing from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, Iowa in 1982
Mary Lou was licensed and practiced in Iowa, California and Illinois in ten different hospitals. She was head nurse 12 years in labor and delivery at Grant Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. She taught practical nursing for eight years to juniors and seniors in high school as part of the vocational education in Chicago. She worked as Family Planning Nurse Practitioner for Planned Parenthood in Sioux City for two years. The rest of the time she was a staff nurse in labor and delivery or Medical surgical units. She was 1st and 2nd NAACOG Section Chairman for the state of Illinois (Nurses Association American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, now A WHON). She was awarded the Purdue Fredrick Fellowship by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 1980.
Mary Lou retired in August 1996. She was the first president of the Lone Tree Historical Society and one of the founding fathers of the Lone Tree Historical Museum. Mary Lou enjoyed Hawkeye Women’s Basketball, music especially Dixieland and Jazz, traveling, shopping and especially her dogs. She was passionate about teaching the young high school children in Chicago. Mary Lou was known as someone that had no problem letting people know where she stood on things and had a quick and dry wit. Because of her very dear friends and caretakers she was able to remain in her home for much longer time than what otherwise would have been possible prior to her move to Pioneer Park.
Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents.
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It's hard to forget someone;
Who gave you so much to remember.
-Author Unknown
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