Elizabeth Hand

The earthly life of Elizabeth Ann Hand, 76, of Mason City, peacefully concluded on September 25, 2024, at Heritage Care Center in Mason City, with additional care and comfort provided by St. Croix Hospice, concluding a several-months-long health battle.

Elizabeth was born November 16, 1947, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Rev. Louis and Helen (Gallup) Ames. For nearly 12 years, she was an only child until younger brother Jeff completed the family. Liz's childhood was spent in Michigan, the state she loved dearly, especially the Michigan State Spartans and Gull Lake.

Liz spent time at Western Michigan University before transferring to Marion College in Indiana, where she met the love of her life, John Hand. John and Liz were married on June 17, 1967, and had a short adventure in California before moving back to the Midwest, where they spent most of their nearly 50 years before John passed in 2016. During their time in Michigan, John became a minister for the Wesleyan Church and Liz spent 40+ years serving as the pastor's wife, Sunday School teacher, Bible Study Leader, piano/organ player, potluck organizer, and so much more at churches in Michigan, Indiana, and Iowa. She also worked a variety of jobs over the years at banks, offices, and accounting firms doing clerical work and office management. She especially loved her time helping at Mama's Cupboard in Sheridan, Indiana, where she built a beautiful friendship with close friend Brenda.

Undoubtedly, Liz and John claimed their four children as their biggest accomplishments in life. Liz would love to tell anyone who would listen that her first born, Karen, worked so hard over the years in recreational management, and the love of the Great Lakes they had as a family ended up landing her in an amazing role as the director of Lake Huron Retreat Center. Liz took joy in seeing pictures and happiness of "lake life" for her oldest daughter. She would also spend hours (and days and weeks) prepping for visits from oldest son Christopher and her "favorite child" daughter-in-law Marcey and their four sons - Derek, Brandon, Luke, and John. With the addition of Marcey to the family, Liz gave many thanks for the close friendship with Marcey's parents Denny and Jeanne Vrba that quickly developed. Together, they all celebrated the move into great-grandparenthood with the arrival of Brandon's son, Cornell, in 2022.

John and Liz added to their family when second son William came into the world next. Bill followed in his parents' footsteps and met his wife Kristin (Rinehart) in Marion while attending the same college that they did. Granddaughter Michelle joined the family later when she was adopted into their family. Bill and Liz spent much time bonding over music and the Bible, as his family roots of faith were often a topic of pride for them both. The youngest child, Lisa, rounded out the family, and when son-in-law Travis Holste joined the family all bets were off as the banter you'd hear between Travis and Liz would often leave many giggling as they loved to jokingly push each other's buttons. When grandsons Chase and Clark joined the mix, Liz enjoyed being able to spend time with them, and more than anything she loved that she played a huge role in their giant black lab, Tucker, joining the family. Even in her last few weeks, Tucker entering her room would light up her face, and she would often brag about "her" dog to the staff at Heritage.

Liz's love of family didn't stop with her children, as she often spoke of the legacy and faith of her Grandma Gallup - and stories of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews and time spent with and talking to them. She took so much pride in the legacy of a variety of ways they ministered to the world. She was so proud to still have her Uncle Mert and Aunt Jane in her life and to still get to be a niece.

She loved being an aunt and sister-in-law to her brother's family and to the families of John's five siblings. She enjoyed checking in with them often over the years and was delighted to be tech-savvy enough to keep in contact with everyone. She would often tell her kids, "Did you see the photos of your cousin's family?" or "I was on Facebook and saw this from your cousin." She loved talking about the genealogy of all parts of her family. Even more, Liz loved seeing the branches continue to expand as families grew.

Over the years, Liz made friends with someone seemingly everywhere she went. She could often be found chatting with friends, knitting a baby blanket or scarf for an acquaintance, or making some food or goodies for people - especially banana bread for family friend Mindy. She really enjoyed making and strengthening friendships with the residents of Ridgeway Towers in Waterloo before and after John's death. Her friends Dede and Pat both recall with a smile that their pets both still try to find her even months after she moved away. She spent hours on the phone with her kids and her brother and anyone who would listen. She loved any holiday she could spend with her family and especially making pumpkin pie for Chris. She was strong and independent like her mother and grandmother and passed that on to her girls. And most importantly, she passed on a legacy of family, love, and faith.

The family will be honoring her with a private gathering at a later time. Cards, memorials, or donations can be sent to: Lisa Holste, 720 S. Jersey Ave, Mason City, IA, 50401.