Lou Iva Markert

Lou Iva Markert passed away at the age of 102 in Santa Rosa, California, Iva will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Iva was born September 9, 1915, to Benjamin and Mary Burris in Guymon, Oklahoma. Iva always enjoyed sharing the story that she was born the 9th month, the 9th day, at 9 o'clock in the morning and weighed 9 pounds. Surely, 9 was her lucky number.

The Burris family moved to Branson, Colorado when Iva was a young child. Her parents had a homestead out on the prairie and Iva loved to tell of her adventures in those years. The family still traveled by wagon, and she remembered riding in the wagon, lying on her back watching the stars as they returned home late one night. Iva began school in Branson. The school was miles away, so she rode a horse to school on Monday, stayed with her teacher until Friday, then rode home for the weekend with her family.

A few years later, the family moved to Rocky Ford where they stayed. Iva and her brother and sisters all had a very happy childhood growing up in Rocky Ford.

When Iva was in high school, she met the love of her life, Sam Markus. After dating for 2 years, they were married in Rocky Ford, and moved to the country where Sam was a farmer. When they began to raise a family, Iva was a stay at home mom. More than anything else, she loved spending time with family. Iva enjoyed cooking and served delicious meals. She was also very creative, and an artist who used her talent to design clothing. Iva had an amazing talent for designing and sewing, and easily created beautiful dance costumes for her daughters. She really could sew just about anything from casual clothes and dresses to very fancy and formal attire.

After Iva's husband Sam died in 1961, she went to work and began what would become a long career in retail, selling ladies clothing. Iva had a talent for this also, and by the time she retired, Iva was selling designer dresses at Sak's Fifth Avenue in Las Vegas.

In 1962, Iva, with her son Steve, and daughter Jo, packed up the car and headed for California where Iva's sisters all lived. After a few years Iva and Steve moved back to Pueblo because they both missed Colorado so much.

Iva remarried in 1975. She and her husband Dale Markert moved to Las Vegas where Iva discovered Bingo. She enjoyed playing and was always very lucky. She also enjoyed watching horse races, and never bet money, but could pick the winners when she watched the Kentucky Derby. Iva and Dale lived in Vegas until they both retired and moved back to Pueblo.

After Iva's second husband Dale died, she moved to California where her daughters lived. Iva lived in Vacaville for 12 years, then moved to a nursing home in Santa Rosa after several bad falls. Iva recovered and was able to walk with a cane, then a walker. During her three years in Santa Rosa, Iva continued to play Bingo and enjoyed all the activities at her residence. She also joined the family in Santa Rosa for birthdays, holiday celebrations, and visits with her large family of children and grandchildren, also nieces and nephews living in California. At 102 years old, Iva didn't look anywhere near that old, was sharp in her mind and spirit, could see and hear very well, and still had her own teeth!

Iva is survived by her daughters, Vicki and Jo; her son, Steve (Sandy); five grandchildren, Mark, Eric (Susan), Katrina (Patrick), Steve (Chie) and Chris; and two great-granddaughters, Lindsay and Alex.

Iva was a lovely, classy lady who will be so missed by all who knew and loved her.

Graveside services will be Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at Hillcrest Cemetery in Rocky Ford with Reverend Marty Lee of the First United Methodist Church in Rocky Ford officiating. Visitation will be Monday, August 6, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Peacock Memorial Chapel.

Online condolences may be made at www.PeacockFH.com. Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.