Obituaries : Zoe Ann (Lanam) Woelfle

Zoe Ann (Lanam) Woelfle passed peacefully from this life on Sunday, May 22, after a long, courageous battle with cancer. A visitation will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, June 11, at Phillips Funeral Home in Blairstown, with interment to follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery.  A memorial service was held in Loveland, Colorado on May 28 and can be viewed at https://youtu.be/EZB2dYAq8-Q. Though Zoe loved flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society through Phillips Funeral Home.

She was born in Cedar Rapids, IA on August 12, 1941, to Hiram and Bernice Lanam and was raised on the family farm in Blairstown. Zoe was very active in 4-H while growing up, served on the Benton County 4-H Council, and was especially accomplished with sewing projects. She also sang and played the saxophone in school, and went to Westmar College in Le Mars, IA to study vocal music education.

It was there that she met her husband, Richard Woelfle. They married in 1961 and lived for a short time in Loveland, CO, where Scott and Shelby were born. After that, they moved back to Le Mars for him to finish college. After graduation, they lived and raised a family in eastern Iowa for 25 years before moving back to Loveland in 1989. She ultimately finished a business degree and worked many years in banking, but was also proud to call herself a homemaker.

In both Iowa and Colorado, Zoe found great joy in their United Methodist Church families and women's circle group, leading choirs and being involved in music on Sunday mornings. Her strong faith and love for the church was a source of strength as she went through life.

Her hobbies included stamping greeting cards and her family will have those to treasure in the days ahead. She and Richard also enjoyed watching sports of all kinds, NASCAR auto racing, and Martin Truex, Jr, their favorite driver.

Her greatest love in this world was what she called "our little family". She was a devoted wife and mother, and took special pride and enjoyment in her children's and grandchildren's music, sports, drama and 4-H activities and families. Gathering together with her family was something she longed for and looked forward to throughout her life. These events took her across the USA and from Alaska to Jamaica.

Zoe is survived by Richard, her husband of 60 years; children Scott (Sheila) and Shelby (Mike), granddaughters Blake (Marc) and Helene (Garret); grandsons Jared and Cole (Anna); and great-grandson Griffin (Helene and Garret); sister-in-law, Shirley Freeman, and nephews Rick (Tara), Gary (Louise) and Terry. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother-in-law William Freeman.

Online condolences: www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com