Gwendolyn M. Lear, 83, passed away August 3, 2020, in Tallahassee, Florida, after a lengthy battle with dementia and infection from COVID-19. A visitation will be held from 5-7PM on Friday, August 7th, 2020 at Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home, Riggins Road Chapel. Friends and family members are encouraged to leave digital condolences via the Culley's MeadowWood web site to help contain the spread of the virus. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lighthouse Children’s Home, 7771 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32309, a charity Gwen routinely supported.
Gwen was born March 14, 1937, in Lowell, Iowa, to Lee and Laura Pickle. She grew up on the family farm in Henry County and graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1955. She met the love of her life, Richard D. “Dick” Lear, after graduation and they were married May 13, 1956. The two were together for 51 years until he passed in 2007.
She worked as a bookkeeper for various businesses in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids until retirement. Dick and Gwen moved to Tallahassee in 1988, where both were active with the Thomasville Road Baptist Church.
A devout Christian, Gwen helped lead a chapter of HIS Women’s Ministry for several years. She was also devoted to her family and loved singing hymns, sewing, baking pies, her dogs (and grand-dogs) and working in her flower garden.
She is survived by son Dave and his wife Brenda, son Ron and his wife Marie and two grandchildren, Grace and Garrett Lear; sisters Johnnie, Jean, Karen and Mary.
Gwen was preceded in death by parents Lee and Laura Pickle and siblings Florence, Hazel, Dorothy, Velma, Joe, Jack and Jimmy, all of Iowa.
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