Louise Stamper

Florence (Louise) Stamper was born August 20, 1938, on the family farmstead north of Mount Ayr, Iowa to Wilbur Everett and Eva Faye (Sawyer) Faris. Her family surrounded her with love as she was called home by her Lord on, what would have been, her dear, late husband’s 96th birthday, October 21, 2022, at 6:22 AM at Clearview Home in Mount Ayr.

Louise attended Liberty Center country school through eighth grade. She told many stories about how she and her siblings walked or rode a horse on the 1-3/4 mile trek to and from school through all types of weather. She said they were very happy when her dad would take them by horse and wagon, on occasion. Louise graduated from Mount Ayr High School in 1956. She attended Iowa Methodist School of Nursing (IMSN) in Des Moines, Iowa where she graduated with her diploma in Nursing in 1959. She always said Des Moines was a very big city for a small town, country girl but she finally learned how to drive as a Senior in nurse’s training.

Following graduation from IMSN, Louise returned to Mount Ayr and took a staff nurse and surgery position at Ringgold County Hospital. After only a year she decided surgery was not her cup of tea. Dr. Mitchell didn’t want her to leave Ringgold County Hospital, but she decided to move to Osceola to work with her mother, Eva, at Clark County Hospital; but not before fate stepped in. While working at Ringgold County Hospital she had cared for a very nice lady named Mildred Stamper of Diagonal, Iowa. She surely made a lasting impression on Mildred because in May of 1961 Louise received a letter from a gentleman by the name of Doyle Stamper. He explained that she had cared for his mother in Ringgold County Hospital and that during her hospitalization his mother kept telling him to come visit her during the day shift as there was a “tall, wonderful nurse that he should meet.” Louise answered, what she described as, his polite and very kind letter and the rest was history. Louise and Doyle were married June 17, 1962, at Wishard Chapel Church in Mount Ayr. They celebrated nearly 48 years of marriage, filled with love and respect.

Doyle kept his job as a mechanic in Mount Ayr while they lived in Osceola. Rich Routh asked him on several occasions to help convince Louise to consider moving back to Mount Ayr and help him open Clearview Home. Rich’s persistence paid off as Louise became the Director of Nursing prior to the opening of Clearview Home in 1963. It was here that she instilled her values and upheld her high expectations for the residents who made Clearview their home. She worked with the State Nurse to create a nurse aide training program for all employees. She was a dedicated, professional Registered Nurse with very high standards which resulted in many citation-free State surveys. She officially retired in 2000, leaving behind a legacy, after over 36 years as DON. Her dedication to excellent patient care, staff education and “doing the right thing”, continued even after her return to Clearview as a resident in 2021 where she was a resource and friend to many. She said her return to Clearview was “Coming Home”. Our family is so grateful for the loving, compassionate care provided to her by the Routh Family and the staff at Clearview.

Louise was a servant to her community through the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) where she was baptized with her husband, Doyle, in 1965. She sang in the choir, served as Deacon and Elder, led the Care Committee, supported the Harvest Bazaar with her baked goods and famous fudge and provided homemade bread for communion.

Louise is survived by her daughter, Marcia (Brant) Snook of Fort Collins, CO; step-daughter, Sonjia (Rodney) Clay of Horton, KS; grandsons, Christopher and Donovan Snook and Adam (Lisa) Clay; granddaughter, Patricia Nicole Clay; brothers, Jim (Katie) Faris and Lyle (Betty) Faris both of Mount Ayr; sister, Lucille (Ronald) Deemer of Davis City, IA; sister-in-law, Guelda Barker, Mount Ayr; brother-in-law, Phillip (Mary) Stamper of Colorado Springs, CO; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

Louise was preceded in death by her loving husband, Doyle Stamper; her mother and father; parents-in-law, Grant and Mildred Stamper; brother-in-law, Marshall Barker; sister-in-law, Gloria Stamper and brother-in-law, Donald Stamper; sister-in-law, Martha Faris, and brother, Lee Faris; nephew, John Roger Faris; niece, Shelley Faris; great-nephews, Konner Klommhaus and Trent Stewart.

Memorials are to EveryStep Hospice in Mount Ayr.