Mavis Lucille Claypool

Mavis Lucille Claypool, age 98 of Hampton, joined her Savior in heaven on August 11, 2024. Up until her final days, she lovingly dedicated her time to sending greeting cards to family and friends from her home at Franklin Country View Nursing Facility. Funeral services will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church on Saturday, August 17 at 10:00 am. Visitation is in the church prior to the service (9:00-10:00). Burial will be immediately following the service in the Hampton Cemetery. Arrangements are by Sietsema-Atkinson Funeral Home.

Born on December 22, 1925, on her parents’ farm near Chapin, Iowa, Mavis was the cherished first child of Karl and Anna (Brammer) Lubkeman. At the age of five, her family relocated to the Latimer area. Mavis attended a traditional country school where students from first through eighth grade were taught in a single room. The children brought their meals in dinner pails, relied on a coal stove for warmth, and fetched water from outside, which was stored in a crock cooler. Each day, Mavis reliably walked the three-quarters of a mile to school in Marion Township.

Starting in the fall of 1939, Mavis resided with her grandparents, George and Emma Brammer, in Hampton during the week to attend Hampton High School. She cherished her weekends at home with her family. In 1940, after her parents relocated to a farm near Latimer, she transferred to Latimer High School, where she graduated in 1943.

Mavis pursued her college education at the American Institute of Business in Des Moines. She shared a residence on Grand Avenue with three gals from Latimer: Norma Freie, Arelene Borcherding, and Lois Main. Her first secretarial position was at Swift and Company in Mason City, where she earned a starting salary of twenty dollars per week. Subsequently, she worked at the Franklin Rural Electric Cooperative, the Farm Bureau office in Hampton, and the Franklin County Fair Association.

Mavis and Lee Dewitt Claypool were united in marriage on November 21, 1948, at Trinity Lutheran Church. They embarked on a memorable three-and-a-half-week honeymoon to California in Lee’s 1947 maroon Chevy. The couple, who shared sixty joyful years together, chose farming as their lifelong vocation. Initially, Lee farmed alongside his parents. By 1952, Lee and Mavis had settled on eighty acres rented from the Walter Miller family. They began with eight Guernsey dairy cows, ten sows in a farrow-to-finish setup, fifteen head of beef cattle, a large garden, and chickens. Once asked when she knew their farm business had become successful, Mavis replied, “The day we got rid of the chickens.”

She was an ambitious and goal-oriented partner to Lee, managing all the bookkeeping and assisting with outdoor tasks until their sons, Gary and Bryce, were old enough to help. Mavis and Lee took pride in the 2002 Century Farm designation of their home farm, originally purchased by Lee’s grandfather, Phil Claypool, in 1902.

Mavis found joy in gardening, watching sports (especially those involving her children and grandchildren), playing bridge, dancing at the Surf, summer vacations, and all kinds of family gatherings. She loved entertaining in her home. Mavis and Lee had a large network of wonderful friends with whom they regularly shared social gatherings.

In the community, Mavis was a faithful member of Trinity Lutheran Church, LWML, Martha Circle, Franklin General Hospital Auxiliary, Charter member of Know Your Child Mother's Club, SOS Club (Sit or Sew Neighborhood Group), and Hampton Community Housing Board.

Mavis leaves behind a large and loving family, each of whom held a special place in her heart. Cherishing her memory are her two sons, Gary Claypool and his wife Vicki, and Bryce Claypool and his wife Anne, all of Hampton. Bryce and Anne’s family embodies Kimberly (Claypool) and husband Mark Rogers of Greene, Iowa; Michael Claypool and wife Amber of Burlington, Iowa; Spencer Claypool and wife Noelle of Chanhassen, Minnesota; Parker Claypool and wife Annie of West Des Moines; Brady Claypool and fiancé Katie Primrose of Ames; plus eleven grandchildren. Gary and Vicki’s family embraces Gabe Claypool and wife Casey of Clive, Iowa; Sam Claypool and wife Emilee of Denver, Colorado; Mackenzie (Claypool) and husband Tim Morgan of Carbondale, Colorado; Elliot Claypool and wife Natalie of Los Angeles, California; Erwin Walter Templin and wife Kate of Athens, Georgia; Arthur Templin and wife Laura also of Athens; Bradley Templin and fiancé Soleil Mershon of Incline Village, Nevada; plus fourteen grandchildren. In total, Mavis was blessed with twenty-five great-grandchildren, with the newest addition arriving the same weekend as her passing.

Mavis was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband Lee, grandson Peter Ross Claypool, brother Melvin Lubkeman, and sister Alice Dohlman.