Laura Amelia Polmatter

Laura Amelia Polmateer, 94, of Shell Rock, Iowa, died on Tuesday, August 7, 2001 at the Shell Rock Care Center of natural causes. Laura was born on May 7, 1907 on a farm south of Parkersburg, Iowa, the daughter of George and Ida Ann Daniels Card.

She attended country school, graduating from the eighth grade, and then attended high school in Parkersburg through the tenth grade, when she began helping her parents on the farm. On August 31, 1926, she was united in marriage to Alvy William Polmateer in Grundy Center. The couple farmed near Grundy Center until 1932 when they moved to a farm south of Belmond. In 1937, they moved to Shell Rock where Alvy and Laura bought and operated the Shell Rock Gravel and Redi-Mix Company. In 1967 they sold the business and moved to Donna, Texas, where they bought a trailer park and named it Polmateer Trailer Park, which they operated until Alvy died on August 13, 1976. After selling the business, Laura moved to Parkersburg in 1980. After that she traveled between Iowa and Texas until 1988, when she became a resident of the New Horizons in Shell Rock. In August of 2000 she moved to Community Nursing Home, Clarksville, and then to the Shell Rock Care Center, where she was until her death. Laura was a member of the United Methodist Church in Shell Rock, a 50-year member of Royal Neighbors, a 60-year member and Past Noble Grand of the Rebekah Lodge, a former member of Business and Professional Women, and a former member of the Women's Relief Corp.

She is survived by three nephews, Larry Card of Parkersburg, Giles Card of Knoxville, and Gordon Card of Plainfield. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Alvy, three brothers, Clarence, Sheldon and Howard Card, and two sisters, Nellie Kyd and Amy Skiles. Funeral services were held on Thursday, August 9, 2001, at 10:00 a.m. at Shell Rock United Methodist Church with the Rev. Realff Otteson officiating. Organist was Mary Jean Brown and the music was "There Will Be Peace In The Valley" and "Beyond The Sunset."

Casket bearers were James Harris, Harold Anderson, Roger Hartzell, Ray Lenius, Donald Nieman, and Richard Smith. Burial was in Riverside Cemetery in Shell Rock.

Memorials may be directed to the family.