Mary Emma (Onstott) Laing

Mary Emma (Onstott) Laing, age 96, of Lisbon, Iowa, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, July 12, 2025.

Born July 16, 1928, in Mechanicsville, she was the daughter of Virgil and Frances (Satterfield) Cole. Mary attended country school through sixth grade and continued on to Lisbon Junior High and High School. A lifelong member of the Foursquare Church in Tipton, her unwavering faith was the cornerstone of her life. In her final days, she found comfort in Scripture, prayer, and the company of those closest to her.

On April 22, 1946, she married Joseph Onstott at Tipton Methodist Church shortly before his military deployment. They met at the Highway Gardens in Stanwood and lived in Texas during his service. After his passing in 1955, she later married Darrell Laing at the Little Brown Church in 1967. He preceded her in death in 1982.

Mary spent her life caring for others—babysitting, working at Woody’s Nursing Home in Tipton, and offering warmth and support to anyone in need. Known as the “town grandma,” her love for children touched generations in Lisbon. Her passion for caregiving lives on in her family.

She enjoyed sending cards for every occasion, embroidering table linens (including a ribbon-winning design), and planting flower beds of tulips and primrose beneath her kitchen window. She celebrated each birthday with barbecue ribs, a tradition held close to her heart.

Mary is survived by her daughters Kathy Curley of Clarence and Deborah Jones of Lisbon; stepdaughters Barb (Monte) Stuckey of Tipton, Gloria O’Hara of Lisbon, and Annie Schoon of Marion; siblings Donna (Gary) Cole Davis of Las Vegas, Patty Welty-Baugh of Tipton, Cindy Bergen of Urbana, and Harry (Thea) Cole of Marion; eight grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by both husbands, her parents, sister Virginia Laing, and grandsons Jody Curley, David Jones, and Jonathan Jones.

Visitation will be Friday, July 18, 2025, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Fry Funeral Home in Tipton, followed by the funeral at 11:00 a.m., officiated by Ron Lashmit. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery after the luncheon at The Gathering. Online condolences may be shared at www.fryfuneralhome.com.