Ida Mae Harford

Ida Mae Harford

Ely

Ida Mae Harford, 88, of Ely, passed away on February 16, 2024, at Sunrise Hill Nursing Home in Traer, Iowa. Celebration of Life services will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at St. John Lutheran Church in Ely. Visitation will be one hour prior to services. Interment will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery, in Cedar Rapids. Brosh Chapel and The Avacentre in Cedar Rapids is in charge of arrangements.

Ida was born on June 28, 1935, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Howard and Jean (Wescott) Bye. She was raised in Cedar Rapids, where she attended Kenwood Park Grade School, graduated from Franklin High School in 1953. Ida Mae was united in marriage to Lauren Leo Harford on November 7, 1953, in Cedar Rapids. They lived in Cedar Rapids for several years until moving to Hudson, Wisconsin for a year, then Dundee, Iowa, and later to Lamont, Iowa in October 1966. Following she moved to Ely, Iowa in August of 2022. Lauren passed away January 11, 2001. She belonged to the Grace United Methodist Church in Lamont, where she served as secretary for UMW, Ruth Circle, Staff Parish Relations Committee, helped with the Mobile Food Pantry and other church fundraisers. She was the President of Lamont Federated Garden Club. She was a member of the Ely Book Club and Quilting Club, and the Jolly Homemakers Club in Lamont. Ida also volunteered at the Common Grounds Coffee House in Lamont, Lamont Legion Fish Fries. She enjoyed NASCAR, attending races with her son Doug in Newton and Kansas City, and watching professional football. She loved horses and along with her daughter Charlie attending the Midwest Horse Fair in Madison and Breyer Fest in Lexington, Kentucky.

Ida is survived by her children Raymond Harford, George (DeVonne) Harford, Charlotte “Charlie” (James) Zach and Doug Harford; six grandchildren Jennifer Witte, Justin Harford, Julie (Cass) Dietz, Maria (Paul) Yuska, Missy Harford and Pat (Misty) Harford; eight great-grandchildren Caitlin, Noah, David, Katarina, Gavin, Lincoln, Lilly and Sawyer; a great-great-grandchild Easton; and her sister Carol Olver.

She is preceded in death by her parents Howard and Jean Bye, her husband Lauren, a daughter-in-law Marian Harford, a special aunt Peggy Hergert, and a brother-in-law Jim Olver..

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Lamont Volunteer Fire Department Foundation or Common Grounds in her name.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.broshchapel.com.