Lois Beisner
Lois May (Soma) Beisner, 89, of Des Moines and formerly of Williams, died April 23, 2024, at Trinity Center in Des Moines. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, April 29, 2024, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 304 Third Avenue NE in Belmond, with Pastor Katie Pals officiating. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the church service. Interment will be in the Belmond Cemetery following the services. Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Surls Funeral Home in Iowa Falls.
Lois May Soma was born July 11, 1934, in Belmond to Norris and Eveline (Johnson) Soma. She graduated from Belmond High School and earned her two-year teaching certificate at Luther College.
After teaching elementary school in southern California, she returned to Iowa where she met her future husband, James Beisner, at the Surf Ballroom. The two were married on July 11, 1959. They made their first home in rural Dows, but soon moved to Williams where they lived and worked for more than four decades, later moving to Iowa Falls in their retirement.
Lois was a teacher associate and library aide in the Northeast Hamilton School District for many years. She was also active in supporting sports and fine arts events at the school as her children came up through the system.
She was an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Williams where she taught Sunday School, participated in Bible studies, and sang in the choir. She was also active in the Williams Women’s Club and was well-known for her cinnamon rolls which she brought to events and sold at local bake sales.
Lois is survived by her children, Carole (Kent) Henning of Waukesha, WI, Jeffrey (Diane) Beisner of Waukee, and Leslie (Marit) Beisner of Cedar Falls; six grandchildren, Alissa Beisner of Waukee, Jessica Beisner of Ankeny, Audrey (Joseph) Torcaso of Kenosha, WI, Julia (Conor) Moon of Waukesha, WI, Noah Beisner of Cedar Falls, and Luke Beisner of Cedar Falls; two great-grandchildren, Santino and Valentina Torcaso of Kenosha, WI; a brother, Gilman Soma of Belmond; a sister-in-law, Phebe (Watne) Soma; many nieces and nephews, other relatives, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; six siblings (Dorothy Barkema, Muriel Durant, Eleanor Pals, Betty Dorenkamp, Shirley Pals, and Charles Soma) and their spouses; and her husband, James.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorials be directed to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Williams or the Alzheimer’s Association.