Mildred Sullivan

Mildred (Spare) Sullivan, 91, of Afton died Sunday, April 16, 2017, at Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston.

Mass of Christian burial will be 10 a.m. Friday, April 21, at St. Edward’s Catholic Church in Afton. The Rev. Ken Halbur will officiate the service. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Creston. Open visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday with family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Powers Funeral Home, 612 N. Dodge St., in Afton. There will be a rosary service at 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials are to be established in her name. Online condolences may be left at www.powersfh.com.

Mildred Grace (Spare) Sullivan, daughter of James Calvin Adams and Grace Mary (Hoffbrickle) Adams, was born Dec. 27, 1925, in Baxter. She attended country schools in Jasper County. In 1934, they moved to Clarke County near Murray. She went to Murray country school through freshman year, and then moved to Union County near Arispe and graduated from Afton High School in 1943.

At the age of 17, she was issued a normal training certificate to teach and began teaching from 1943 to 1959 in the country schools. In 1948, she attended junior college in Creston and finished her teaching degree at Drake in 1963. After the last country school closed, she began teaching at East Union School in 1960 and retired in 1987.

On Feb. 14, 1948, Mildred married Robert Frances Spare and made their home in Afton. Frances died July 1, 1979.

On Oct. 4, 1980, Mildred married Eugene Frances Sullivan.

Mildred was a member of Saint Edwards Catholic Church in Afton. After retirement, she was involved with religious education at the church and was a member of Afton Woman’s Club. She was on the board of directors of Afton Nursing Home and congregate mealsite in Afton.

Mildred is survived by her son, Robert (Linda) Spare of Afton; daughters, Crescentia (Terry) Vinson of Clarksville, Tennessee, and Michelle (Paul) Johns of Des Moines; daughter-in-law Donna Spare of Afton; grandchildren, Jeanna McKinney, Michael Spare, Angie Dydell, Dane and Ryan Vinson and Merri and Anna Johns; six great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren and nine step-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; sisters, Rose Breer, Hazel Arch and Violet Backoff and son Damian Spare.