Ida Pooch, 79

Ida Marie Pooch, 79, of the Lowry and Farwell area, died October 7, 2009 at Douglas County Hospital in Alexandria.

Ida was born May 31, 1930 in Heron Lake to Roy and Agnes (Harder) Showalter. She grew up near Fulda, where she attended the Presbyterian Church and country school. On June 23, 1949 she married Delmar W. Pooch in Sioux Falls, SD. This marriage was blessed with four children, Vernon, Roger, Diana and Doris.

The couple first made their home on a farm at Avoca, where they lived until 1954 when they purchased a farm near Farwell. Delmar passed away in 1994 and Ida continued to live on the farm until 1996 when she moved to Lowry. In 2007, her health began failing and, as a result, Ida moved to Knute Nelson Nursing Home in Alexandria, where she resided until the time of her death.

Ida was a member of Covenant Church in Kensington, where she participated in the ladies aid. While living in Lowry, she was an active volunteer with the Lowry Senior Citizen group. Her hobbies included embroidery, sewing, puzzles, word games and gardening at the farm. For years Ida was well-known for sending get well cards to anyone she knew who was ill and for always being willing to lend a helping hand to her friends and neighbors.

Ida is survived by her four children, Vernon (Sonia) Pooch of Farwell, Roger (Jody) Pooch of Hampstead, NC, Diana Price-Jones (Terry Jones) of Buffalo, MO, and Doris Matney of Willard, MO; eight grandchildren, Nicholas (Kris), Vanessa and Austin Pooch, all of Farwell, Ashley and Sarah Pooch, both of North Carolina, and James Price, Jonathan Jones and Nikki Matney, all of Missouri; one great-grandchild, MaKenzie Price; two sisters, Norma (Forest) Engbretson of Cyrus and Jeanette (Alden) Ellingson of Paynesville; two brothers, Donald (Sharon) Showalter of Glenwood and James (Carol) Showalter of Minneapolis; and close friends, Chuck and Jan Lister of Alexandria.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Delmar, in 1994; two brothers, John Showalter and Douglas Showalter; and a son-in-law, Robert Price.

Funeral services were held October 10 at Kensington Covenant Church in Kensington.

Arrangements are with Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood.

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