Mary Ellen Roland

Mary Ellen Roland age 90 of Fairfield, passed away October 5, 2018, at her home.

Visitation for family and friends will be 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Wednesday, October 10, 2018, at Behner Funeral Home.

Funeral service will be 10:30 am, Thursday, October 11, 2018, at Faith United Methodist Church with Reverend John. D. Boatman officiating.  Burial will be at Fell Cemetery, Libertyville.

Memorials may be made to Libertyville Childcare or Libertyville Fire / Libertyville First Responders.    Cards and memorials may be mailed to 2423 Juniper Ave., Fairfield, Iowa 52556.

Mary was born June 3, 1928, in Jefferson County to Alvin Frank and Vera Pauline (Leathers) Eklund.  She married Don Roland on July 2, 1946, in Edina, MO.  This year they celebrated 72 years of marriage.

Mary was a school teacher, worked at Fairfield Glove Factory, Harper Brush and the Fairfield Ledger.  Some of her interests were camping, reading, embroidery, and watching the Cubs.  She was proud of her Swedish heritage.  Mary enjoyed celebrating the Swedish Christmas (Dupa Greata) every year.  Mary’s first love was her family.  She loved having her grandkids and great grandkids over and would bake cookies with them.  Mary will be missed by those who called her wife, mom, grandma, great grandma, sister and friend.

Left to share Mary’s memories are her husband, Don of Fairfield; her children, Barbara (Peter) Kiernan of Weston, FL, Kristi (Richard) Dlouhy of Pinehurst, NC and Gary (Amie) Roland of Ankeny, IA; 7 grandchildren, Tim (Lauren) Kiernan, Christian Kiernan, Nicole (Sean) Crawford, Scott (Amy) Dlouhy, Nathan (Katie) Roland, Jeremy (Kelsey) Roland and Charissa (Corey) Hickenbottom; 9 great grandchildren; siblings, Richard Eklund and Linda Clemmons both of Fairfield, Connie Barton and Larry (Mary Ann) Eklund both of Libertyville.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alvin and Vera Eklund; sisters, Shirley Johnson and Ruth Hoover.