Mary (Lahart) Flattery

Mary Agnes (Lahart) Flattery, 94, of Newton passed away on Monday, April 26 at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 1, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.  A rosary will be said at 5 p.m., Friday, April 30, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory followed immediately by a visitation from 5:30-7 p.m., at the funeral home. Memorials to the Sacred Heart parish in Newton or St. Patrick’s parish in Georgetown may be left at the funeral home or at the service. The family respectfully requests that masks be worn at the visitation and service and that everyone practices social distancing.

Mary, the daughter of Edward and Mary Ellen (Judge) Lahart, was born on November 16, 1926 on a family farm west of Lovilla. Mary graduated from St. Patrick’s School in Georgetown in 1944 and then attended Teachers College at William Penn in Oskaloosa. Mary’s first teaching position was at Tyrone Rural School.

Mary was united in marriage to Eugene (Gene) Flattery on October 16, 1952 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Georgetown. Gene and Mary made their first home in Monroe before making their permanent home in Newton in 1954. Mary worked briefly at Maytag and then worked in the Aurora Heights Elementary School lunchroom for 25 years before retiring. She was an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Mary enjoyed bowling and belonged to several bowling leagues over the years. She loved playing cards with her friends, gardening, canning, and caring for her flowers. 

The lights of her life were her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They brought so much joy to her.

Mary is survived by her sons Dennis Flattery of Melrose and Chris (Linda) Flattery of Carroll, and her daughter Marcia (Flattery) Graber of Newton; grandchildren Alicia (Mike) Mohr of Ankeny and Matt (Ashley) Graber of West Des Moines; step-grandchildren Paul Lerssen of Carroll and Tami (Dusty) Elston of Clarion; great-grandchildren Maddex, Merrik, and McGwire Mohr; and step-great-grandchildren Kylie Lerssen, Alexis Lerssen, Gaige Lerssen, and Rillie Elston; and siblings Joe (Ethel) Lahart and Teresa Lahart of Albia. 

Mary was proceeded in death by her loving husband, Gene Flattery; parents Edward and Mary Lahart; and brothers Walter Lahart of LaCrosse, WI and Raymond Lahart of Albia.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary (Lahart) Flattery, please visit our floral store.