Martha Frances Zugg, 87, died on October 4, 2020, at Valley View Village in Des Moines. A private family service will be held on Saturday, October 10 at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel with burial following at Resthaven Cemetery, Des Moines for family members.
Martha was born on May 8, 1933, to Tom and Rose (Vujnovich) Fisher. She began working as a secretary for the Meredith Corporation in 1963 and retired in 1991 as Manager of the Book Club Division.
Martha lived her entire life in West Des Moines and Des Moines. She was very social and welcomed the opportunity to share stories about her family and about her parents emigrating from Yugoslavia, making a life in America with hard work and dedication to family and friends.
Martha was a devoted mother, daughter, wife, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She loved to cook and bring her loved ones together at holidays. She was an animal lover; she adopted many and took care of many strays in her years. She loved old classic movies and she was an avid reader. She had a library room full of books in her home and was always reading. She raised three boys and had a career of her own - a woman to look up to. She greeted everyone with a warm smile and cheerful conversation. Being born during the Great Depression, she was very wise and humble but also so loving and giving. She donated monthly to a variety of charities. She was a special person whom everyone loved. She will be greatly missed and is forever in our hearts.
Martha treasured her family and is survived by her sons, Michael (Susan) Callison of Urbandale and Jim (Kathy) Callison of Des Moines; brothers, George Fisher of Adel and David Fisher of Woodward; stepson Geroge Zugg; grandchildren Sean (Emily) Callison, Jenny (Matt Sinwell) Callison, Nikki Callison, Taja Hollimon, Alley Davis and Carly Callison, 11 great grandchildren, and countless nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Raymond F. Callison and husband George Zugg, son Mark Callison, and her siblings Thomas Fisher, Mildred Woltz, Violet Leppa, Maryann Brumbaugh, and Katie Palandri.
Family and friends will be invited to A Celebration of Life to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.
