Edith Humpal, 78

Dec. 18, 1942 —

April 3, 2021

 

CALMAR - Edith Mildred (Crow) Humpal, 78, of rural Calmar, Iowa, died on April 3, 2021. She was able to pass peacefully surrounded by her children and grandchildren at Regional Health Services of Howard County in Cresco, Iowa. 

A family rosary will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 8, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Protivin, followed by visitation from 3-8 p.m. and will resume at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, April 9. Funeral Mass will be held directly after, at 10:30 a.m., officiated by Rev. Nick Radloff. Burial will be in the Holy Trinity Church Cemetery. 

Edith Mildred (Crow) Humpal was born in Cresco on Dec. 18, 1942, to Theodore L. and Mildred (Hosek) Crow. She was raised on a farm two-and-one-half miles west of Protivin. She received all sacraments at the Holy Trinity Church. She attended Rudolphinum School from first grade through her graduation from high school in 1960 and then attended Iowa State University.  

On June 20, 1961, Edith was united in marriage to Lester W. Humpal at Holy Trinity. They celebrated 50 joyous and loving years of marriage. She was a school bus driver for 26 years and worked on the Howard County Ambulance crew as an EMT for 14 years. 

Edith had great pride in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and their many accomplishments. She enjoyed watching her children grow and made time to travel across the country to attend her children’s, grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s events. She was incredibly creative and artistic; she wrote a play and was featured in a National Geographic book. 

Edith had a life-long devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary. She devoted herself to serving and taking care of others. She was a scout and 4-H leader, CCD teacher, band and sports booster for Crestwood High School and a member of the ACCW and St. Wenceslaus Heritage Society.

She was a world traveler, with a highlight of personally meeting Pope John Paul II and shaking his hand. Edith was a life-long member of Holy Trinity and served as a Eucharistic Minister and lector. She loved going on family vacations and hosting Christmas and New Year celebrations. 

Most of all, she loved her family. She never forgot a birthday or anniversary and always sent out Rice Crispy lambs to everyone for Easter. Edith instilled the importance of education, ensuring all of her children graduated from college, and that there is no such thing as ‘can’t’. She is honored for her commitment to education at the Plaza of Heroines at Iowa State University.

Edith is survived by her seven children, Lana (Kevin) Duff of Des Moines, Iowa, Donna (Mike Pash) Humpal of Nevada, Iowa, Lester A. (Penny) Humpal of Columbia, Tenn., Richard (Tammy) Humpal of Ankeny, Iowa, Lawrence (Rebecca) Humpal of Huntsville, Ala., Theresa (Stephen) Jeandron of New Orleans, La. and Katherine (Bryce McCarthy) Humpal of Metairie, La.; and honorary son, Jermy (Melissa) Jones of Cresco.

Her 32 grandchildren are Meghan (Jim) Klier, Michael Duff, Nicholas (Marcia Kent) Duff, Courtney (Beau Deffenbaugh) Duff and Zachary Duff; Madeleine, Isabelle and Benjamin Humpal-Pash; Amy (Dan) Anselment and Andrew Carroll; Tyler (Abby) Veenstra, Lolly (Matthew) Wynja and Sydney (Collin) Anderson; Jacob Humpal, Hannah (Seth) Hammer and Elizabeth Humpal; Nicole, Nathan and Noelle Humpal; Lauren, Labran and Emma Jeandron; and Grace and Baby Jones. 

Her 12 great-grandchildren are Dylan, Daniel and Dominic Klier; Quimby Duff; Bensen and Baby Deffenbaugh; Olivia, Caden, Isabella and Colton Anselment; Aidan Veenstra; and Harper Anderson. 

She is also survived by 20 foster children; her brothers and sister, Theodore W. (Nancy), Gerald (Myra), Richard (Cinderella), Kenneth (Sung), Donald (Colleen), Cynthia (Dale) Carlton, Kevin (Colleen), John (Virginia) and Ronald (Virginia) Crow, as well as numerous brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews. 

Preceding her in death were her beloved husband of 50 years, Lester W. Humpal, and her parents.