Letha Morgart

Beloved mother Letha Morgart, 91, passed away Monday evening, May 4th at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames. Funeral services for Letha will be held Tuesday, May 12th, 2020 at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home beginning at 1:30 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear masks and practice social distancing. Burial will follow the service at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Marshalltown. To leave a memory or condolence to the family, please visit www.mitchellfh.com or phone 641-844-1234. Memorials in Letha’s name may be directed to Hope United Methodist Church, 2203 S 3rd Ave., Marshalltown, IA 50158. Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Letha and her family.   Letha Jane Nablo was born June 28, 1928 at her family home near Beaman to Gilbert and Florence Goldie (Williams) Nablo. She attended school in Albion and earned her GED through South Hamilton in Jewell.  Letha married the love of her life, John Rolla Morgart September 13th, 1945, right before he went into military training.  They lived in the Conrad and Marshalltown area before moving to Jewell in 1953.There they raised eight children and owned L&M Implement, an Allis Chalmers dealership.  After John passed away in September 1965, she worked at the hotel, the local nursing home, and then worked at the meat locker so she could be available to her growing children.  After the last child graduated from high school, Letha moved to Davenport to help her oldest son start a business.  In 1981 she returned to Marshalltown to be near her own mother.  She worked at the Iowa Veterans Home for 10 years.   Family was very important to Letha her whole life, starting with her own eight children.  She always made sure that all of their needs were met.  She did this by working hard and teaching the value of a dollar, instilling in her children a strong work ethic of their own.  She was a “meat and potatoes” kind of cook, yet her kids were always impressed by how many different variations of meals she could come up with.  Letha loved to keep her own large garden. She canned vegetables and made jams and jellies.  Letha was able to travel with family from coast to coast, including Alaska and Canada.  She loved her grandkids and grand-pets, always inquiring about both. As her family grew, Letha enjoyed collecting information.  She had card tables full of newspaper clippings: articles or comics – anything she found that would remind her of her children or grandchildren that she could send to them or share with them. She absolutely loved helping others.  Letha was a member of Hope United Methodist Church, The American Legion Auxiliary, and the Bird Club.  She also enjoyed bowling, dancing, watching nature shows and attending travel dialogues.  Left to cherish her memory are her children: Darlene (Steve) Hamelau of Alexandria, MN, Jerry (Gini) Morgart of Salem, OR, Rose Elsbecker of Marshalltown, Mary (Dennis) Borton of Le Grand, Marvin (Dolores) Morgart of Story City; daughter-in-law Vera “VJ” Morgart of Bettendorf, sister-in-law Thelma Nablo; 15 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Gilbert and Florence Nablo, her husband John Morgart, her sons William “Bill,” Vernon and Kevin Morgart; her brother Adelbert “Deb” Nablo, brother Dale and sister-in-law Jean Nablo; sister Ila Marie Nablo, sister-in-law Myrtha Morgart, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Wayne and Eva Morgart; and three grandchildren, Douglas Morgart, John Morgart and Julie Sarra. View the memorial service live stream: https://www.facebook.com/Mitchell-Family-Funeral-Home-99280714047/