Iva J. Accola (1923-2020)

ACCOLA, DUNCAN, FOSTER

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 11/28/2020 at 14:09:28

Iva J. (Paramore) Accola, 94, of East Dubuque, IL, passed away, peacefully, at 9:55 A/M, on Monday, July 17, 2017, at Stonehill Care Center, in Dubuque, IA, with her son and daughter-in-law at her side.

Funeral Services will be at 4 P/M, on Thursday, July 20, 2017, at the Miller Funeral Home, in East Dubuque, with Rev. Dianne Grace officiating. Burial will be in the East Dubuque Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 2 P/M to 4 P/M, on Thursday, before services at the funeral home.

Iva June Duncan was born on June 2, 1923, in Beetown, WI, the daughter of Clyde and Mildred (Foster) Duncan. She was a graduate of Lancaster High School, Class of 1941. Iva worked for 1 1/2 years in a factory to save money to go to nursing school. She entered Michael Reese School of Nursing, in Chicago, IL, in March of 1943, and graduated in March, 1946. Iva worked in almost every field of nursing in Chicago & Dubuque. She worked as a nursing instructor at Mercy Hospital in Dubuque, head nurse at Finley Hospital in Dubuque, and in 1967 went to work at Xavier Hospital, in Dubuque, and became Director of Education until the hospital closed in 1982. Iva retired from Mercy Hospital in 1983. There is literally too much to list with the jobs she had in the nursing field. She even did some fashion modeling in Chicago in the 1950's. She helped teach the first EMC class in Dubuque in 1973.

Iva married Jerry B. Paramore on December 14, 1962, and they were divorced in 1973. To this union one child was born, Jeffrey A. Paramore, in 1967. Jerry died January 1, 1978. She married Arnold J. Accola on February 20, 1976. Arnie preceded her in death on January 5, 1998. She was a past member of the VFW Auxiliary, a former member of the Grace Lutheran Church, and a member of Wesley United Methodist Church. Iva was a member of the Galena Golf Club for 40+ years. She taught her son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren all how to golf. Iva won the Women's Club Championship and the Senior Women's Championship. She had a hole-in-one at Lacoma Golf Club in 1988. We know she is playing golf in Heaven with her brother, Leo.

Iva beat Cancer three times, Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer and lastly, Pelvic Cancer, where she was told to go home and enjoy the last two years of life with her family. In her own style she said, "no", and found a great Dr. Deb Turner, in Des Moines, IA, who did a 12 hour surgery and has been cancer free since 2006. She came to live with her son and daughter-in-law shortly after that until about seven months ago when she went to Stonehill Care Center. The last couple of years her body was slowly starting to fail her. Her daughter-in-law, Teri, helped to take care of her needs. She could not have loved Teri more, if she had given birth to her.

Iva is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Jeff & Teri Paramore; grandchildren, Deeanna Wilson, Mitch Paramore and Russ Paramore; great-grandchildren, Maiya and Marley Jo Wilson, all of East Dubuque, IL; step-daughter, Joyce (Tommie) Thompson, step-sons, Joe and Bruce Accola; sisters, Wanita (Dale) Tracy and Wanda (Gene) Bartow; brothers, Monroe (Marcine) Duncan and David (Rosemary) Duncan; sisters-in-law, Jean Duncan and Merald Duncan; in-laws, Gerald (Sharon) Accola; also many nieces and nephews that she truly loved.

She was preceded in death by her parents; step-daugther, Kim Accola; brothers, Roy, Clay, Leo and Foster Duncan; sisters, Mavis Knight and Olivia Droullard; and a grandson-in-law, Sgt. Joseph Wilson.

Jeff and family would like to "thank" the staff at Stonehill Care Center and Hospice of Dubuque for their care and dedication to Iva.

Memorials may be given to Hospice of Dubuque.