Lois June Bidwell was born on June 11, 1921 in Waterloo where she was raised by her parents Arthur and Ora Smith. Lois and her siblings, Virginia, Eleanor, Clair, and Wayne were raised on the family farm.

After graduating from Orange High School in 1939, Lois attended Iowa State Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls for two years, graduating in 1941. She then took a teaching position in Wellman, Iowa as a kindergarten teacher and taught for several years. During World War II, Lois and a fellow teacher went to Washington, D.C. where she worked for the FBI reading fingerprints.

Lois met her husband, Robert E. Bidwell, while teaching in Wellman. They lived down the street from each other. They married on February 16, 1944, in Providence, R.I., where Robert was stationed with the U.S. Navy. They had four children, Roberta, Ellen, Lorne, and Bobby. Robert died in 1985. The family were members of the South Waterloo Church of the Brethren. Lois was a member of the West Orange Club and the 15-30 Club. Lois moved to Friendship Village in 1998. She died Monday, May 14, 2001 at Friendship Village of natural causes. Lois was 79 years old.

She is survived by two daughters: Roberta and her husband James West of Santa Fe, NM, and Ellen Miller of Waterloo. One son: Lorne and his wife Janet of Cedar Falls. Seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Her sister Virginia Miller of Waterloo and a sister-in-law, Amy Smith of Waterloo.

Lois is preceded in death by her parents, husband, son Bobby, two brothers: Clair Smith and Wayne Smith, and sister Eleanor Brown.