Norma Kiser

Norma Lea Kiser, 84, of Baxter, Iowa, passed away on Monday, February 2, 2026, surrounded by her loving family at Valley Villas Nursing Home in Newton, Iowa. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

I was born in Rhodes, Iowa, on February 24, 1941, to Keith and Harriett (Swawell) Good. Larry and I met at a basketball game in Rhodes, Iowa, in 1956. I was playing when he saw me. He called my neighbor to ask me for a date because we didn't have a phone. They ran across the street to get me. I told him that he would have to come and ask my dad if I could go out with him. We dated for 6 months and were married in Baxter Bethany Church on Saturday morning, September 1, 1956. Jim and Mitzy Stansberry of Newton stood up with us. Jim was a friend of Larry's and worked at Maytag with him.

We purchased a small mobile home with the help of Larry's dad and placed it at the Westwood Mobile Home Court in Newton, Iowa. We lived in this 24 ft x 8 ft wide home until after Brenda was born. When we found out another baby was on the way, we bought a brand new 48 ft x 8 ft mobile home and placed it in the same court in Newton but on a bigger lot. Westwood Trailer Court was our home until 1963.

In 1963, we purchased a lot in Baxter and moved our mobile home onto it. We planned to build a new home on this plot. In July of 1965, we started building our new house. With the help of Larry's dad, Ray, my dad Keith, friends, and neighbors, we had it finished by that Thanksgiving. We moved in and were truly happy to have room to spare.

Over the years, Larry worked hard to support his family. Joining the Maytag Co. in 195,4 before we married. He also worked the night shift driving a taxi cab in Newton while working at the factory during the day. Larry could fix anything that broke or didn't work. He seemed to be a jack of all trades. Enjoying working with wood, he started making yard ornaments for Iowa and Iowa State, which developed into a full-time job after his retirement from Maytag in 1991, with 37 years of service.

Larry is a very particular person. Everything has a place, and when you are done with it, it is always put back where it belongs. He is also very neat about everything he does. His cars are always kept clean and full of gas and in good running order. His main concern is his family and paying his bills on time. He is a man of his word and keeps his word. He is a perfectionist, and we have all learned that if you can't do it his wa,y let him do it himself. Brenda and Terry have followed in his footsteps,s learning his traits. Connie takes after me, being more on the laid-back side.

I started working after all of the kids were in school. I did a variety of jobs. Sold Avon products, housekeeper in the Baxter Nursing Home, department manager at Montgomery Ward, store manager at the Baxter Casey's Store, customer service representative at Mid-Iowa Savings Bank in Newton, transferred to the Baxter Mid-Iowa branch office as the bank manager, a part-time employee with State Savings Bank in Baxter, and worked at our Public/School Baxter Library. While I was with the Mid-Iowa Bank, I was robbed twice and had an FBI sting operation in my office. After those experiences, it was time to quit, and I did.

In 1994, Brenda and I took on a project of bringing a 1913 Wooden Caboose to Baxter to be placed at the bike trail parking. It took many fundraisers to complete the restoration with the help of Larry (our chief worker) and many other volunteers. Larry also restored mile markers, WX signs, and built benches for the trail. We raised a total of $15,000 and applied it to this restoration. We endured long, hot hours getting everything repaired. With no electricity for his saw, Larry hand-cut pieces to mend rotted boards, along with cuts, bruises, and broken bones. The project was finished two years later.

My best friend, Sandy Mitchell, and I have known each other since 1963. We have enjoyed many good times, births, deaths, divorces, weddings, great vacations together, quilting retreats, and our lasting friendship is worth more than can be asked for by anyone. We are like sisters but opposites. We find it very interesting that we can buy the same material, pattern, clothes, think the same, and not even be together when this happens. It's scary...... we think that maybe we're sisters at birth and got separated. She is the best and only sister I have.

Our first vacation without the kids was for our 25th wedding anniversary in 1981. We flew to Hawaii, and neither of us had ever flown or seen an ocean. What a great vacation, which led to 4 more trips to Hawaii. The following year, we flew to Jamaica, and our next trip was to Mexico in 1987. We have traveled there every year since, and started driving down in 1998. We have also enjoyed seeing almost all of the US by car. We have also been in Canada, along with flying to Spain, France, and England in 2004. We have made many friends from all over the US and Mexico, and we keep in touch with them.

Larry loves watching sports of any kind. He was a bowler for many years and enjoyed earning 600 and 700 series and serving as the secretary of the Maytag League for many years. Bowling tournaments were always attended. Dancing, playing cards, raising our children, working at various jobs, when Maytag was on strike, building his wind ornaments, and making special orders to people from all over the US, brings the Caboose to Baxter, road trips and vacations with Sandy, sewing, learning computer skills, being able to speak some Spanish, learning quilting, quilt retreats, and Toy 4 Fun, Larry's class reunions and classmates, and our do it yourself projects.

On our 50th wedding anniversary, we flew to Key West, Florida. Over these 50 years, we have become best friends. We have survived raising our children, losing our grandparents and our parents, and enjoying our grandchildren. There have been many hard times along this road, but the many good times have outweighed them by far. Births, marriages, divorces, graduations, vacations, anniversaries, friends, and family get-togethers. I am sure, as you read this, you will think of these times and be able to add many more memories on your own.

Now our children and grandchildren are starting their own memories and the future that lies in front of them. Make the most of every day, as you never know when you will leave this life.

Those left to cherish Norma's loving memory are her husband of 69 years Larry Kiser; her children Brenda (Jim) Robinson, Connie (Chris) Cort, and Terry Kiser; grandchildren Julia (Kyle) Patterson, Lee (Allie) Robinson, Mellany (Stephan) Schumacher, Jamie (Seth) Gordon, Kimberlee (John) Traynor, Tommy (Nicole) Cort, and Sarah (Cody) Cort; great-grandchildren Alby, Liam, Teddy, Koa, Beau, Ella, and Summer; sister-in-law Sharon Akins; many nieces and nephews; and close friends.

Norma was preceded in death by her parents and brother Joe Good.

Fredregill Funeral & Cremation Care has been entrusted with the care of Norma and her family.