Nancy K. Gauger Chitwood passed peacefully on Feb. 20, 2024 at the age of 72. This obit was written by Nancy herself. I was born on Aug. 26, 1951, in Mason City, Iowa. My first two homes were in the funeral homes where my dad worked, and now I've come full circle back to the funeral home. After graduating from Osage High School and attending NIACC for a year and a half, I married Weyman Chitwood and moved to Georgia. He died after 31 years of marriage, and I was alone in Georgia. After seven years, I sold my place and moved back to Iowa. I missed my family but I also missed having a lot of snow. I got to spend a few years with Mom and my brother Mark before they left this earth. I treasured that time with them. My brothers Gene and Gary came to visit us when they could, but I wish I could have seen them more. My sister Kathy had the misfortune to live in the same town as I did. She did an awful lot of things for me when arthritis and bad hips crippled me and gave me pain. The best thing Kathy ever did for me was to introduce me to my new love, Philip Wells. A match made in Heaven. Except for a few things. Phil wanted to drag me to Mt. Rushmore, and he doesn't like snow. He wanted to spend the winter in the sunny south - no thanks. Been there, done that. I wish I'd had more time with him. We had so much love and so much fun. Humor got me through a lot of tough times. I never was tired of learning new things, constantly asking "how" and "why" and googling to find the answers. Sunday crosswords, reading and thrift shops were some of my favorite things, as well as organizing and being on a riding mower. I've always marched to a different drum and would paint a room red if it pleased me. No matter how bad things seemed, someone always had it worse, so I was thankful for the little blessings in life. Besides Weyman, waiting for me in Heaven are my parents, Harlen E. Sr. and Irene Goddard Gauger of Osage and Mom later of St. Ansgar; my brother, Mark of Forest City; and sister-in- law, Kathleen Gauger. Still here and probably breathing sighs of relief from not having to put up with me anymore are my brothers, Harlen E. Jr. (Gene) and wife Lee of Durham, N.C.; Gary Gauger and wife Theresa of Omaha, Neb.; sister, Kathy Squier and husband, Jim of St. Ansgar; and my beloved, Philip Wells of St. Ansgar. Five nieces and nephews and their families are still on Earth, as are cousins, a few friends and Phil's family. I sure wish I'd gone skydiving.

Memorial service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at the United Methodist Church in St. Ansgar, Iowa with lunch following service. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetary in Charles City, Iowa in the afternoon with family.