Obituary of Mary Louise Zmolek

Mary Louise Zmolek Born in Des Moines to August and Laura (Calhoun) Brandt on November 3, 1930, Mary graduated from East High School and attended Iowa State College. She married Leon Zmolek of Toledo in June 1952. They had 5 children: Diane, who died at birth, Thomas, Stuart, Paula and Michael. Mary served in many capacities as a long-time volunteer for advocacy organizations promoting the rights of and for improvements in the care and education of the disabled. She was instrumental in helping to form the Jasper County Association for Retarded Children Center, Future, Inc., Progress Industries of Jasper County and an early evening toy library at the Newton Community Library. In the 1980s, Mary served on the Care Review Committee of the Jasper County Care Facility and on the Standards Committee for the Iowa Mental Health and Mental Retardation Commission. She helped raise funds for the Autism Society of Iowa and the National Alliance for Autism Research by organizing annual charity walks at Gray's Lake in Des Moines. Mary was a founder and charter board member for the "Homestead", a living learning center for individuals with autism. For their years of volunteer service, Mary and her husband Lee received the Volunteers of the Year Award from the Iowa Association for Retarded Children in 1987 and the Pioneer Award in Volunteerism from the National American Rehabilitation Association in 1994. Mary studied art at Iowa State in Ames, and enjoyed producing oil paintings, water colors and decorating various objects in the Scandinavian rosemaling style. She produced art for Progress Industries and a mural for the Wesley Retirement Home. As President of the Jasper County Arts Association, Mary helped to develop the Arts and Crafts Center at the YMCA and organized painting classes. As a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Mary served on a variety of committees, contributed artwork to the church, taught catechism to children and adults and spoke as an advocate for the mentally challenged throughout the Diocese of Davenport. She belonged to the Theta Chi Society and PEO-LC. Mary was a tireless advocate for the unborn and was a firm believer in family decency, supporting Focus on the Family. She is survived by her husband Lee, son Thomas and his wife Mary, son Stuart, daughter Paula Eades and her husband Steven, son Michael, her grand-daughter Kate Jackson and her husband Brian, her grand-daughter Laura and her great-grandson Max Jackson. Memorials may be designated to the Progress Industries Foundation, The Homestead, or the Iowa Autism Society.