WILMINGTON, Ill. — Ret. Lt. Commander Iola M. Mombrun, USN, 83, of Plymouth, Minn., and formerly Wilmington, Ill., passed away Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, at Emeritus Memory and Alzheimer Care in Joliet, Ill.
Visitation and video tribute will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2 at Freitag-Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Home, 700 East Kahler Road, Wilmington. Funeral services will follow at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, in the funeral home, with the Rev. Kevin Boesen from the First United Methodist Church in Reddick, Ill., officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Wilmington.
Born Feb. 2, 1929, in Wilmington, Ill., Iola was a daughter of the late Louis E. and Alice Dare-Mombrun. She was raised in Wilmington, graduated from Wilmington High School with the Class of 1947, and continued her education at Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., where she earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree.
She was proud to have been a catcher for the Wilmington Ladies Softball League. After college, Iola went to work as a teacher. She taught both physical education and driver's education, first in Casey, Ill.,, and later Oak Lawn, Ill.
In 1957, Iola enlisted with the United States Navy, where she honorably served around the globe, holding positions in Europe, Guam, Hawaii, and the East, West and Southern coasts of the United States. During her tenure with the Navy, Iola held a multi-rated pilots license and held a variety of personnel, administrative and aircraft maintenance roles. After earning her rank as a Naval Officer, she was also responsible for providing the repair of aircraft components in support of five patrol squadrons, jet training squadron, helo squadron, plus transmitting aircraft.
Upon her honorable discharge after 20 years of dedicated service, Iola enjoyed the following 10 years traveling extensively to places that included, but were not limited to, the continental United States, Canada and Alaska.
It was in the late 1980s that she took on a new career with Honeywell in the state of Georgia, and this job moved her back home to the Joliet Arsenal and then onto Golden Valley, Minn., from where she retired. Amidst her careers, Iola also sold real estate for the Bale Agency in Wilmington, and was an accomplished pianist and organist.
She was a member of the Golden Valley Seniors in Minnesota, the Good Sam Club, and the Illinois State Teachers Alumni Association, to name a few. Iola greatly loved bowling, skiing, camping, playing cards and flower gardening. She was a great collector and truly appreciated such collectibles as Wedgwood, Beleek, Waterford and Irish Porcelain.
In her recent years, Iola cherished being in Minnesota and took advantage of going to the theatre and symphony. She will be remembered for always enjoying a good cup of coffee and caring for her dear feline companion Rascal.
Survivors include her brother, Louis W. “Bud” (Patricia) Mombrun of Reddick, Ill.; nephew Lou (Cathy) Mombrun of Wilmington; nieces Suzette (Ken) Mack of San Jose, Calif., and Sandra (Pat) Thomas of Palm Desert, Calif.; and great nieces and great nephews Alexandria Mombrun, Ryan Mack, Katie Mack, Noah Thomas and Eric Thomas.
Iola was preceded in death by her parents.
Preferred memorials may be made as gifts in Iola’s memory to Joliet Area Community Hospice, 250 Water Stone Circle, Joliet, Illinois 60431 (http://www.joliethospice.org/) or The Alzheimer’s Association, 225 North Michigan Avenue, Floor 17, Chicago, Illinois 60601 (http://www.alz.org/).
Friends may sign the online guest book or send private condolences to the family by logging onto http://www.frbfuneral.com/.
Funeral services and arrangements have been made under the direction and care of Freitag-Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Home in Wilmington. For additional information, call the funeral home at (815) 476-2181.
