Ardella M. Stemm, 84, of rural Iowa City, passed away Friday, July 28, 2023, at Montezuma Specialty Care. Visitation will be held Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, from 10-11 a.m., at the Snyder and Hollenbaugh Funeral and Cremation Services of Lone Tree. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Private family burial will be in the Lone Tree Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to PAWS and Animal Shelter, 1004 W. Madison Street, Washington, IA 52353 or Care Incentives Hospice 7055 Vista Drive, West Des Moines, IA 50266 in memory of Ardella. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sandhfuneralservice.com.
Ardella Mary Dunlap was born Sept. 25, 1938, in Maquoketa, Iowa, the daughter of Gail E. and Bertha N. (Applegate) Dunlap. On Dec. 19, 1964, Ardella was united in marriage to Alvin Harold Stemm. She and her husband farmed in the rural Iowa City and Lone Tree area their entire life. She enjoyed crafts, making homemade gifts for her family for Christmas, puzzles, gardening, collecting salt and pepper shakers. Ardella loved driving her John Deere Gator doing chores and traveling the country roads picking up cans to save for the occasional trip to the casino. She also had a great love of animals, especially her cats. .
Ardella is survived by her daughter: Mary Jane Dunlap-Evans and her husband, Bruce of Florida; sister: Lynette Dunlap-Starr of Ohio; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Ardella will be deeply missed.
Ardella was preceded in death by her parents; husband: Alvin on Nov. 16, 2013; four brothers: Rod (Charlotte) Dunlap, Larry Dunlap, Bud (Elsie) Dunlap and Donn (Nina) Tracy; and brothers-in-law: Elwood Stemm and Larry Starr.
