Myrtle Sexauer

Myrtle L. Sexauer
Ankeny

Myrtle L. Sexauer was born February 22, 1917 in a house on the family farm in Ankeny, Iowa, and lived there while attending Ankeny schools. She graduated from Capital City Commercial College (4 C’s) in Des Moines, where she was a member of the Pioneer Club.

In 1982, she retired from John Deere Des Moines Works after 32 years as secretary to six General Managers. Myrtle was very involved in her community and in 1995 was inducted into the “Ankeny Alumni Hall of Honor.” In 1998, she was selected as Ankeny’s “Citizen of the Year.”

She was a life-long member of Ankeny First United Methodist Church, a member and past president of the Ankeny Area Historical Society, and a member of the Ankeny Alumni Association. She was a proud member of the Republican Party where she served as a Committee Woman at caucuses and as a delegate to county, district, and state conventions.

Throughout her lifetime, Myrtle cared about and cared for many; the sick, those who were alone, the elderly, neighbors, her friends, and family. She was generous with both gifts and her time. She was passionate about her faith, her heritage, her friends and her family. She was referred to as “Ankeny’s Angel,” leaving goodies and gifts at the doors of those she cared for, and leaving quietly as if on wings.

Her love of poetry and the written word was passed along to all who knew her in the form of a book as a gift or as a collection of meaningful articles as enclosures. Myrtle was quite prolific herself and left us with these words in 1997. When asked if she was happy, she penned: “Yes, I am at peace with myself, and perhaps that is even more valuable than being happy. At least for now it’s a pretty good feeling. Knowing for sure that life not only goes on, but can be very good – that kind of peace brings its own happiness.”

Myrtle passed away March 23, 2015, at Sunny View Care Center, at the age of 98. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 27, 2015, at Ankeny First United Methodist Church, 206 SW Walnut Street in Ankeny, with visitation one hour prior to service time. A private burial will be held at Greenwood Friends Cemetery in Ankeny.
Myrtle was preceded in death by her mother and father, Cora and Hallet (H.M.) Sexauer, her brother Harvey Sexauer, her sister Edith Sexauer Bruce, her brother-in-law Phillip Klopfenstein, her sister-in-law Evelyn Sexauer, and her niece Georgiana “Jo” Brown.

She is survived by her sister Lavonne Klopfenstein of Winfield, Iowa and her nieces and nephews Corinne Mitchell, Donna Thompson, Steve, Kim, and Dr. Ned Klopfenstein. She is the great aunt of 9 and the great, great aunt of 8. Aunt Myrtle took her position as “Aunt” very seriously and with great pride. She will be “greatly” missed.

Memorial contributions may be given to Ankeny First United Methodist Church or to the Ankeny Historical Society.

Condolences may be expressed at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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