Alma Laura Kovarna

MERRILL, Iowa -- Alma Laura Kovarna, 87, of Merrill passed away Thursday, April 2, 2009, at Sunrise Community Retirement Center in Sioux City.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 4, 2009 at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel, with the Rev. Roger Madden officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services Saturday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Alma was born in Jefferson, S.D., the daughter of William and Ethel Edwards. She attended country school and graduated in 1941 from Jefferson High School. She worked in Sioux City at Wincharger, a defense plant during the war. Her job was winding and soldering armatures for airplanes.

She met her husband, Stanley Kovarna before he went into the Navy. When he returned, they were married. They celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary on Nov. 6, 2008. The couple lived on the same farm in Merrill, Iowa, until a year ago, when they moved into Sunrise.

Alma collected money for the Cancer Drive in her district and worked as a volunteer making cotton candy at the Shrine Circus for many years. She was a member of the Shrine Auxiliary and belonged to the Wreckettes. Alma was happy just spending time with her family and enjoyed attending school activities and athletic events for her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed golfing and traveling with her husband. She liked word puzzles, going to the casinos and especially shopping and going to lunch and a movie on Mondays with her daughter, Diana.

Alma is survived by her loving husband, Stanley Kovarna; four children, three daughters, Cheryl Hardersen and her husband, Darrel of Onawa, Iowa, Diana Lahrs and her husband, Bruce of Merrill, and Debbie Binneboese and her husband, Dennis of Hinton, Iowa; a son, Steve Kovarna and his wife, Mary of Merrill; two brothers, Clifford Edwards of Sioux City and Bill Edwards and his wife, Liz of Temecula, Calif.; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren; plus many nieces, nephews, cousins; and an aunt, Ellen Vossler of Dorchester, Neb.

She was preceded in death by her parents; twin sisters; three uncles; three brothers-in-law; and a sister-in-law.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Ryan Lahrs, Jonathan Hardersen, Adam Binneboese, Carl Binneboese and Kyle Kovarna. Honorary pallbearers will be her granddaughters, Jennifer Burress, Missy Hardersen, Beth Trejo and Laura Binneboese.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Siouxland or the Shrine Transportation Fund.