Audrey Girton

Audrey Nell Girton was born July 1, 1935, on a farm near Magnolia, Iowa. Audrey was born to Dean and Martha (Freymuller) Girton. She graduated from Magnolia High School in 1953. Audrey attended college in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After a year a college she moved to Council Bluffs and worked at Taffee's Drug Store with her aunt, Marie. Audrey started working at Western Bell Telephone in 1956. She worked at Bell telephone for 34 years until her retirement in 1990. Audrey lived in Council Bluffs for seven years until she moved back to the Girton family farm in 1963. After retirement Audrey kept very busy serving in her community. She was active in serving at the United Methodist Church in Magnolia. She was the church treasurer, mowed the lawn and planned the ice cream socials. Audrey was determined to make all the ice cream herself, sometimes as many as seven freezers full! Audrey also organized the many bake sales that the church had in conjunction with the annual Logan yard sales.

For many years Audrey was the treasurer and planned the "Old Settlers Days" in Magnolia. After experiencing health problems she finally had to give up the clip board and in 2012 she was honored by being the Grand Marshall of the parade! For several years Audrey organized lunch for a group of cyclers from Omaha who loved to ride in the Loess Hills. Audrey also loved serving her family by hosting a Memorial Day picnic for many years at the Girton farm. Several generations were entertained by playing softball on her well manicured barn yard. One year 80 people attended. Audrey also served her family by creating and publishing a family newsletter called the "Girton Gazette." Every year we looked forward to pictures of the new arrivals and other events of the year. Audrey had a love of animals. Any dog, cat, or horse was very lucky to have landed in her care. Her last dog was a stray she named Daisy. Audrey taught Daisy to bring her tissues and slippers right to her feet.

Audrey enjoyed golfing. She was a member of the Logan-Missouri Valley Country Club. She also liked to travel and enjoyed working on her farm. Audrey served her five sisters by planning numerous trips together. The girls' favorite place to visit was Branson, Missouri. The sisters enjoyed taking day trips to Perry, Iowa to see Nadene. The sisters also liked going to each other's yard and looking at all the flowers. Audrey had trusted in the Lord Jesus as her personal savior. Surely she was welcomed into eternity by these words, "Well done thou good and faithful servant."

Audrey died on Friday, June 27, 2014, at Longview Nursing Home in Missouri Valley, Iowa at the age of 78 years, 11, months and 26 days.

Audrey was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Betty and her husband Joe Plath; brother, Darrel Girton; two sisters, Nadene Bryan and Mary Margaret Maguire; brother-in-law, Dick Landon; and niece, Martha Jane Plath. She is survived by her two sisters, Alice Landon of Logan, Iowa and Ardith Crow of Tempe, Arizona; brother, Richard Girton and his wife Annie of Puerto Rico; two brothers-in-law, Bob Bryan of Perry, Iowa and Jerry Maguire of Logan, Iowa; and 25 nieces and nephews and many friends.