Lois Decker Dillinger

Lois Dillinger was born on September 19, 1932 in Peru, Iowa, the daughter of Grace and Elmer Decker. She was a lifelong resident of the Peru area where she lived her whole life. On October 23, 1949, she married Richard Dillinger, and to this union four children were born, Linda, Dixie, Sharon, and Dick. Lois was an avid gardener and took great pride in her flower and vegetable gardens. She always had a bouquet of fresh flowers on the table. She loved helping her husband around the farm and working outside. She always had fresh pies made for any Sunday visitors, family, or friends. She also belonged to the Pork Producers Association. Her hobbies were cooking and baking, but most of all, eating any kind of sweets. But she really loved her peanut butter cookies, which were her favorite. Other hobbies were mushroom hunting, and hunting for Indian relics. You’d swear she could spot them a mile away. She also played softball for the Peru Softball Club and was their pitcher. To this day she could still fit into her softball uniform. She loved her Australian Shepard dogs she had over the years. She had one following her everywhere around the farm. She also belonged to the Social Circle Club. Family was everything to her and she was everything to her family. She was a devoted and loving wife of 68 years, a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She will be missed greatly by all. Lois passed away on March 27, 2020 at the Madison County Memorial Hospital in Winterset. She is survived by her daughter, Sharon (Bruce) Holtry of Winterset; son, Dick (Raedene) Dillinger of Peru; 7 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren; 7 great great grandchildren; brothers, Dean, Everett, Jim and Lee Decker; and sister, Marie Porter. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; parents, Grace and Elmer Decker; daughters, Linda Thompson and Dixie Dillinger; brothers, Joe, Dale, and Gene Decker; grandsons, Terry and Jerry Dillinger; and great grandchildren, Audrey Dillinger and Travis Jackson. You will be greatly missed by all and your memories will be loved and cherished for always. Following CDC recommendations on large gatherings, there will be no open visitation or funeral services. Services will be private, but website streaming will be available on her obituary Tribute Wall beginning at 11:00 AM Tuesday, March 31, 2020, at www.caldwellparrish.com.