"Grandma Laura lived a rich full life. Though my travels and time in the military often put distance between us, she was always in my thoughts. She leaves a great legacy through her example of unfailing love to all the lives she touched and the generations that followed. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the fellow family members who feel her loss."
In loving memory of
Laura L. Figg
March 3, 1916 - December 4, 2006
LAURA FIGG MUSCATINE, Iowa - Laura L. Figg, 90, of Muscatine, died Monday, December 4, 2006, at Lutheran Homes. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, December 9, 2006, at Greenwood Cemetery. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. The family will meet with friends at the Lutheran Homes Cottage following the service. In lieu of flowers, Laura requested that memorials be made to the Port City Pearl Chorus of Sweet Adeline's or the Laura Figg Memorial Fund. The Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Laura was born on March 3, 1916, in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, the daughter of Dr. Charles Sherman and Laura Baker McCarty. She was married to Herbert 'Doc' Bendle, Ray Zeidler, and Ralph 'Sodie' Figg, who all preceded her in death. She was a resident of Muscatine since 1931, graduating from Muscatine High School in 1933. She held various secretary positions and worked with Charles Young on "The Great River Road". She was a secretary for Wesley United Methodist Church and Jefferson School. She was a copywriter for the radio station KWPC. She was a charter member of the Atheneum Club, a former member of the Muscatine General Hospital Auxiliary and was a "Caller Volunteer" for Senior Resources. She loved reading and writing poetry and enjoyed writing it for friends on special occasions. Survivors include a daughter, Anita Bennett, of Muscatine; three sons, Joel D. Bendle and wife, Dian, of San Diego, California, Mike Bendle and wife, Carol, of Naples, Florida, and Robert Zeidler and wife, Judy, of Davenport, Iowa; 15 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, one brother, Charles McCarty, a daughter, Sandra Hoopes, and a grandson, Scott Bennett.
Tributes
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and may you all have many wonderful memories."
"We send our sincere sympathy in the loss of your Mother and Grandmother---she was a neat lady. Bob enjoyed being a next door neighbor many years ago. Laura's memory will be in our hearts for many years ahead. Our thoughts and prayers are with you! Donna and Bob"
"To Anita, Mike, and family: I am so saddened by the death of your mother. I am very grateful for the nice visit I had with her in June. I will keep you in my prayers. Judy"
"GOD BLESS LAURA & FAMILY.My condolences to your familys loss"
"My thoughts and prayers go to the family and to Laura. She was a great lady. It was a joy to know her and her family for as long as I have. She will be missed dearly."
"When I was about seven years old, Grandma' Laura gave Scott and I each a pair of cowboy boots. Scott and I loved them. It was one of the best presents I ever got from anyone. We were jumping around in her kitchen and generally running wild. After the sugar buzz from all the Christmas candy finally started to wear off, I realized later that we had left terrible scuff marks from the heels all over the kitchen floor. I felt awful about it, but being seven or so years old, I couldn't confess to it. I'm almost certain that she knew exactly what had happened, but she never said a word about it to me. I thought constantly, year after year after year, about apologizing for that. But I never did. Because every time I thought about it, I realized that I didn't need to apologize. In her present, she didn't just give me a pair of boots, she also included the unlimited willingness to forgive. That's how I remember Grandma' Laura."
"One of my favorite memories of Grammy is when she dressed up like Mrs. Clause when I was about 11 years old and handed out Christmas presents to all the kids in the family."