Ada Marie Matson Garn passed away in Raymore, Missouri on December 20 at the age of 106. Services will be held at 1:00 on January 2 at Stevens Memorial Chapel in Ames, Iowa. She was born on February 13, 1912 in Viborg, South Dakota to John and Anna (Anderson) Matson, the youngest of 3 children. She grew up in Viborg graduating from high school in 1930. Participating on the Debate team and the Girls’ Basketball team were things she enjoyed recalling. Ada loved to tell stories and laugh and never hid her opinions on any subject.
On February 15, 1935 she married Leslie Garn. They were the parents of two children, Larry Dennis and Jane Ann. They farmed near Meriden, Iowa until 1943 when they moved to Long Beach, California. They ran a small grocery store until moving back to a farm near Colo, Iowa in 1951. During this time Ada worked at Donnellys in Nevada. She often reminisced about being a town girl who married a farmer and all the things she needed to learn. She was proud of her vegetable and flower gardens and her spritz cookies. Her family was important to her and she enjoyed talking about her grandchildren and her great grandchildren.
Ada was an early resident at the Rose of Ames. She enjoyed visiting, was always ready to play 500 and loved to serve root beer floats. All who knew her have stories to tell. She loved her Iowa State Cyclones and was honored when Fred Hoiberg stopped at the Senior Center to wish her a Happy 100th Birthday and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Ada spent the last two years living with her daughter and son-in-law until moving in to Foxwood Springs Care Center in February. Crosswoods Hospice and the Raymore Fire Department made her 106th birthday special by giving her a ride to the Texas Roadhouse in the fire truck and presenting her a cake with 106 candles. Google Ada Garn to see the event.
She is survived by her daughter Jane Ann and son-in-law Philip Fahlk of Raymore, MO, her daughter-in-law, Karlene Garn of Chandler, AZ; her grandchildren Stacey (David) Chick, Nicole (Dan) Dollison, Gregg (Jennifer) Garn, Alex Garn and fiancé Kara Marlatt; great grandchildren Aaron, Andrew, Austin, and Adam Chick; Claire and Will Dollison; Katy, Dylan, and Ally Garn; step great grandchildren Cole, Paige, and Taylor Dollison. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Edna, brother Harry, husband Leslie, son Larry, and great grandson Jack Dollison.
