Lois Sutherland

Lois Magdelena (Matthiesen) Sutherland, 94, of Adel and formerly of Perry, Iowa, was called home on April 20, 2018 at Kavanagh House on 56th Street in Des Moines. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 25th at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home – McCalley Chapel in Adel with burial at Oakdale Cemetery. Family will greet friends and relatives Tuesday, April 24th from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Lois was born in Logan, IA in 1923. She broke mustangs as a girl, and then she and her sister, Luella, opened and owned a café in Logan named L & L’s Café. She also sang and played guitar on Shenandoah radio. After marrying, she worked many years at Tiny’s Horse “n” Buggy in Adel, and several years at Woodward Resource Center. Lois also helped run the farm outside of Adel, driving tractors, milking cows and walking beans – all in addition to raising her seven kids. She always had big, hearty meals on the table and kept her kids in clean clothes (as clean as possible) – all without the modern conveniences. When she and her family were younger, they loved camping in the Black Hills in South Dakota. After retiring, Lois and her husband, Gene, would travel to Apache Junction, AZ during winter, where they would hike and spend time with friends and family. Lois enjoyed her family get-togethers, playing ball with her dog, Piper, coloring, bird watching and gardening. She was the matriarch of a very large family (64 people including her husband). She is survived by one sister, Lorna (Marvin) Woosley of Omaha, NE; son, Dennis (Elaine) of Van Meter, IA; daughters, Sandy (Jim) Garoutte of Adel, IA and Deani (Jeff) Montang of Maple Plain, MN; son, Ronnie (Kristi) of Adel, IA; daughters, Joani (Floyd) Groves of Rippey, IA and Carol (Bill) Barrow of Woodward, IA; along with her 20 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren, and her dog, Piper. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews. She has joined her husband of 52 years, George Gene Sutherland and her son, Roger “Shorty” Sutherland. She is also preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Ella (Dau) Matthiesen of Logan, IA; her sister, Luella Gosch of Harlan, IA and her brother, LeRoy Matthiesen of Ute, IA. The family would like to express our thanks for the wonderful help and care given by HCI Care Services Hospice at Kavanagh House on 56th Street in Des Moines. Memorial contributions may be directed to HCI Care Services at Kavanagh House on 56th Street.