Loretta J. (Cline) Kono

Loretta J. Kono, 78, of Newton; formerly of Prairie City, Colfax and Knoxville, died on Monday, April 3, 2017, at Park Centre in Newton.

Loretta’s funeral service will be 11 a.m., Friday, April 7th at the funeral home.

The family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m., Thursday, April 6th at the funeral home.

Burial will be at the Colfax Cemetery in Colfax.

Memorials to Adult & Teen Challenge of the Midlands may be left at the funeral home. Memorials may also be mailed to the funeral home, please add, Attn: Kono Family on the envelope.

Loretta J. Cline Kono, the daughter of Don and Mildred Pender Cline was born on January 4, 1939 in Prairie City, Iowa. She was a graduate of Prairie City High School in 1957.

Loretta was married to Leland Ellis Kono. They were blessed with three sons, Vince, Jeff and Vinton. After Leland’s death she would later be married to Charley Martin. Loretta was an office worker at Iowa Power and Electric (known today as MidAmerican Energy Company). She had also owned and operated L & L Decorating in Colfax. Loretta had been a member of the Chamber of Commerce in Newton, Colfax and Knoxville. She had also been a member of the Knoxville Kiwanis Club. Loretta enjoyed doing crafts, working in her yard and flowerbeds and doing volunteer work. She had also been the head of the Jasper County 4-H parade in Colfax, the Knoxville Nationals Parade in Knoxville and the 4th of July Parade in Newton for several years. Loretta was a loving and caring wife, mom, grandma, great-grandma, sister, aunt and friend.

Loretta died Monday, April 3, 2017, at Park Centre in Newton. She was 78. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Leland Ellis Kono; husband, Charley Martin; great-granddaughter, Audrey White in infancy; two brothers and a sister.

Those left to cherish Loretta’s memory are her sons, Vince (Tina) Kono of Reasnor, Jeff Kono of Kansas City, Missouri and Vinton (Sara) Kono of Des Moines; nine grandchildren, Michelle (James) White of Des Moines, Brandon (Allison) Kono of Granger, Becca Kono of Newton, Michael (Zenda) Kono of Kansas City, Missouri, Kolton (Shay) Kono of Kansas City, Missouri, Jordan (Isaac) Gettler of Des Moines, Travis Kono of Des Moines, Jacob Drew of Des Moines and Joshua Drew of Saint Amant, Louisiana; fourteen great-grandchildren, and her brother, Larry (Stephanie) Cline of Prairie City.

 Service Information