Venita Schmidt

Venita Shirlene Kirby, 88, of Mount Ayr, died Aug. 21, 2018 at University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City.

Funeral services will be 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018 at the Clearfield Christian Church in Clearfield with Pastor Sherry Wiley officiating. Burial is in the Diagonal Cemetery. Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr is in charge of the arrangements. Open visitation will be held at the funeral home from 2 to 8 p.m on Saturday, Aug. 25, with the family present to receive friends from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Clearfield Christian Church. Memorials need to be sent to the Clearfield Christian Church. Online condolences may be left at www.armstrongfh.com.

Venita was born March 4, 1930, north of Gravity at a place called Oak Hill to Oma Winifred (Brown) and Lawrence Clyde Kirby.

On June 14, 1947, Venita married Leonard Sobotka. Leonard died from cancer Sept. 29, 1973.

She was an active member of the Clearfield Christian Church as a Sunday school teacher, a girls 4-H Club leader, as well as a Boy Scouts den mother. Venita was a 64-year member of the Clearfield Unit #97 American Legion Auxiliary where she served as Unit President, Taylor County President and 7th District President. She also served as Americanism Chairman and Junior American Legion Auxiliary leader for many years.

On Oct. 24, 1978,Venita married Ernest (Ernie) Schmidt. Ernie died June 20, 1999.

Survivors include her daughters, Connie Cooper of Bedford and Karen (Mike) Schaefer of Maloy; seven grandchildren, Jackie (Peter) Cooper-Bennett, Wendy (Matt) Poore, Darcie (Neil) Cooper, Devan Cooper, Jennifer (Billy) Bell, Billy (Suzi) Schaefer and Timothy (Jennifer) Schaefer; 15 great-grandchildren, Aidan and Noah Cooper-Bennett, Breia and Mallory Bell, Danielle (Kurtis Norwood) Poore and Kirsten Poore, Sadie and Nathanial Cooper, Samantha, Loryn, Natalie and Tate Schaefer, and Katelyn, Tyler and Colton Schaefer; two great-great grandchildren, Adelynn Wahlstedt and Levi Norwood; three sisters-in-law Dorothy Kirby, Lois Anne Sobotka and Sharon Sobotka; brother-in-law Roy Lumbard.

Venita was preceded in death by her parents; parents-in-law Edward and Frances Sobotka; sister LaVon Lange; brother Virgil Kirby; brothers-in-law Donald Sobotka, David Sobotka and Ivan (Butch) Sobotka; sisters-in-law Mildred Sobotka and Norma Jean Lumbard; son-in-law Dennis Cooper; and son Duane Sobotka.