IONA (DITCH) HOWALD

Johnston City, IL – Iona (Ditch) Howald, 86, entered the Church Triumphant at 6:57 a.m. on Monday, September 10, 2018. Iona was born at home in Monroe County, IL on September 9, 1932, the last born child of Carl Frederick William Quathamer and Estella Mabel (Howald) Quathamer. Iona married Richard James Ditch Sr. of St. Louis, MO. on September 16, 1950. They shared 25 years of marriage. He preceded her in death in 1977. She later married Ernest J. Howald who preceded her in death in 2001. She is survived by her children, Mabel (Curtis) Hayes of Marion, IL and Richard (Debrah) Ditch, Jr. of Ferges, IL ; four grandsons Jerod Kurt (Amanda) Hayes of Johnston City, IL, Jeremy (Kathleen) Hayes, of Bloomington, IL, Andrew (Cindi) Ditch, of Benton, IL, and Timothy (Jenny) Ditch of Johnston City; nine great-grandchildren, Owen, Mitchell, and Natalie Hayes of Bloomington, IL; Ezekiel and Rachel Hayes of Johnston City; Hakeem, Destini, and Adessa Briggs of Benton, IL; and Jael Ditch of Johnston City, IL; sister-in-law and brother-in-law William and Barbara Gamache of Hot Springs, AR; brother-in-law Ted Hansen of Bozeman, Montana; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters Florence Zidar and Mary Harms; and two brothers, Orville Quathamer and Carl Quathamer.

Iona was a retired department secretary in the Physics Department, SIUC and had worked several years at Allen Industries and Smoler Brothers in Herrin, IL. She was a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Marion, IL, a past member of St. Paul United Church of Christ, Johnston City, Sunday School Superintendent, 4-H Club Leader and family matriarch. She was a life-long learner, never allowing anyone to say, "I can't" without quipping back, "Can't never did anything. Could had to do it all." She had a saying and a story for everything. Her smile, her written words of cheer and encouragement, and her wisdom will be missed by many. Her legacy of love and compassion lives on in her children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The family extends a much appreciated and heart-felt "Thank You" to the second-floor acute care staff of the SIH Herrin Hospital and to Pastor Dan Whitfield for the great care and compassion they extended to Iona and her family in the last days and hours of her earthly life. We rejoice in her life as a child of God and her reunion with the many saints gone on before her.

Memorials may be made to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church Memorial Fund. Visitation will be Wednesday, September 12, 2018, from 10 A.M. to Noon with the funeral immediately following at Murman and Wilson Funeral Home in Johnston City, IL. Interment will be at Lakeview Cemetery, Johnston City IL. You are invited to a fellowship meal and time of celebration of her life at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church following the interment.