Neta Fern (Christiansen) Boustead, 82, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at St. Luke's Hospital, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Services: 10 a.m. Friday, St. Mark's United Methodist Church with Pastor Bonnie Koeppen officiating. Burial: 5 p.m. Friday, Woodbine Cemetery, Woodbine. Friends may call on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Teahen Funeral Home and after 9 a.m., Friday at the church.
Neta was born on February 28, 1936 to Walter A. and Pearle Audrey (Long) Christiansen in Harrison County Iowa. She grew up in Woodbine with a sojourn in Bremerton, Washington during WWII where her father welded on ships for the U.S. Navy. After the war, the family returned to Woodbine. Neta graduated from Woodbine High School and cosmetology school in Council Bluffs. She married her high school sweetheart, Richard Glenn Boustead, on August 27, 1954 in Woodbine. They began married life in Omaha, Nebraska where Neta worked as a beautician until they started their family. Neta and Dick moved several times for Dick's sales career making homes in Denver, CO., Columbus, NE., Gladstone, MO., and Cedar Rapids, IA. Together they nurtured four children to adu...[more]
hood-- Rebecca (Beckie) Gaye, Bradley Jay, Brenda Kaye, and Beverly Raye.
Neta generously gave of her time and talents in many ways over the years. She was an active Girl Scout leader and district officer for the Winding River Girl Scout Council in Gladstone. At St. Mark's church she enjoyed leading the acolyte program for several years, prayer partners, and Bible study groups. She often attended to small details like decorating the sanctuary and filling the oil candles. Lunches with the Birthday Girls and spending time with her grandchildren were a special joy.
Neta had a special interest in bells of all sorts. She played them in the high school band and collected well over five hundred during her lifetime. Another love of her life was her little dog, appropriately named Jingle Bells, Jingles for short.
She is survived by her "favorite" son, Brad (Heather) of Urbandale; daughters Beckie Mann of Virginia Beach, VA., Brenda (Corky) Gaskell of Rochester, MN., and Bev Hoppe of Robins; eight grandchildren: Jennifer Martelli, Jeff Mann, Jackie (Tom) Zonker, Jerod (Kara) Mann, Spencer (Jessie) Gaskell, Shannon Gaskell, Stuart Gaskell, and Megan Hoppe; three great-grandchildren: Riley Mann, Gavin Martelli, and Neta Zonker; her sister, Elizabeth Wilson of Victorville, CA.; in-laws Glenn and LaVonne Thompson of Woodbine; and several nieces and nephews.
Neta was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Pearle Christiansen; her husband, Dick, in 1997; her sister, Doris Eizember; son-in-law, Michael Hoppe; and her dog, Jingles.
Special thanks to Neta's caregivers Laurie Bien and Kayla Hutton.
Memorials may be directed to St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 4700 Johnson Ave. NW, Cedar Rapids, IA. 52405.