Evelyn Marie Pauley

Evelyn Parks Pauley, 92, of La Porte City, died Friday, November 8, 2019 at La Porte City Specialty Care. She was born June 1, 1927 in Pasadena, California the daughter of Vernon and Eva Sawyer Ayers.

She was a 1945 graduate of Brandon High School; received her 2-year teaching certificate from Iowa State Teachers College in 1947, received her BA from State College of Iowa in 1966 and later earned a MA equivalent in Special Education.

She married Ralph Parks on March 6, 1947 in La Porte City, they were later divorced. She married William Pauley, Jr. in 2002 at Brandon United Methodist Church; he preceded her in death on April 12, 2007.

Evelyn had a total of 32 years of teaching at Brandon Elementary for four years, La Porte City Elementary, Orange Township, Devonshire and McKinstry as well as AEA7 in Waterloo. After retirement Evelyn and Ralph bought back the family home and acreage in rural La Porte City and started Turkey Ridge Orchard and Greenhouses. For 15 years they grew flowers, apples, vegetables, pumpkins and much more to sell at Farmers Markets in Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Evansdale and Independence.

She played organ for many years at Trinity Wesleyan Church now Heartland Community Church in La Porte City as well as teaching Sunday School, Sunday School Superintendent and sitting on the church board. She was a founding member of Delta Kappa Gamma, a local Sorority where she was a past president and secretary. She served on the Preschool Board establishing Preschool Education in La Porte City and she was active in Farmer’s Market.

Survived by: one daughter, Linda (David) Harris of Marshalltown; two sons, Ron (Flo) Parks of Evansdale, Greg (Peggy) Parks of La Porte City; eight grandchildren, Anna Harris, Luke (Jen) Harris, Ryan (Debbie) Parks, Ben (Jen) Parks, Emily (Adam) Clark, Michelle Myers, Jason Parks, Jackie (TJ) Versluis; thirteen great grandchildren, Zach (Macie) Harris, Lauren, Emma and Sadie Oaks, Caid and Ian Parks, Myles Harris, Savannah Walvatne, Raine Campbell, Jessie Versluis and Eva Parks and Jazzmin and Autumn Wyant and one great-great grandson, Jeremiah Odenbach.

Preceded in death by: her parents; her husband; and one great grandson, Skylar Parks.