LOVETA LUELLA (STOKES) CONWAY

Loveta Luella (Stokes) Conway passed away at the Caledonia Care and Rehab Center, March 3, 2014. She was surrounded with love by her family. Veta was born June 16, 1924 to Roy and Charlotte "Lottie" (Nuss) Stokes of Mallard, IA. She married Leland Conway, December 11, 1942 in Mallard, IA. She attended Iowa Teacher's College in Cedar Rapids, IA. Veta taught one year in a 1 room schoolhouse, south of Pocahontas, IA. Later, Lee and Veta moved to Texas while he served in the Army Air Corps. After returning to Iowa, they farmed for years there, before moving to Caledonia, MN in 1960. Veta worked many jobs in the area. She will especially be remembered by the students and staff of Caledonia as a very spunky librarian/teacher's aide in the Resource Center at the Loretto Building for Caledonia Junior High School, and as a substitute teacher at St. Mary's School in Caledonia. Veta helped initiate and coach girls basketball in Caledonia in the mid 1970's. She was inducted into the Iowa Girls Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978 as an All State Guard, for her outstanding defensive efforts in 1941. She played for the Mallard Iowa "Ducks". She loved football, college basketball, and baseball, especially the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, and the Iowa Hawkeyes. She loved dancing with Lee, traveling, spending time with family, and playing cards. Veta especially enjoyed watching her kids’ and grandchildren’s sporting events and activities. She was always a very loyal, vocal and proud fan in the stands! She had a sweet tooth and a heart of gold. Veta was a jokester, but also an amazing, strong, woman...a true champion. She instilled the importance of 'family' in her childrens' lives and they loved her dearly. She will be missed by many. Veta was preceded in death by her parents, 2 brothers, Roy Jr.(Wire) and Don Stokes of Mallard, IA, 2 sisters, Dorothy (Stokes) Johnson of Havelock, IA and Margaret (Stokes) Weller of Mallard, IA and her husband, Leland Conway of Caledonia, MN. Veta is survived by 1 sister, Beverly (Stokes) Williams of Rockwell City, IA, 2 daughters of Houston, MN, Nancy (Conrad) Tschumper and Carla (Wayne) Fitting, 3 sons, Gary (Linda) Conway and Bob (Laurie) Conway of Caledonia, MN, and John (Sheri) Conway of Hokah, MN. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren: Tom and Todd Tschumper, Tracy (Tschumper) VanGundy, Sean Conway, Kelly (Conway) Schwartzhoff, Seth Conway, Josh, Justin and Mariah Conway, and Brooke and Mackenzie Fitting. She is further survived by 15 great grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren. The Conway family wishes to thank the incredible staff and friends at the Buckley Assisted Living and Caledonia Care and Rehab Center. A Celebration of Veta's life will be at 7 pm, Friday, March 7th, at McCormick Funeral Home, 205 East Main St., Caledonia. Rev. Mark Bengtson will officiate and visitation will be from 4 to 7 pm at the funeral home. A private family burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Caledonia.

LOVETA LUELLA (STOKES) CONWAY

June 16, 1924 - March 3, 2014