Iva Hormer

Iva Lila Horner, passed away joining her husband Herb, son Earl Gene and eight sisters in a far better place. Graveside services will be at 10 am, Friday, Aug. 7., 2009 at Floral Hills Cemetery. Kindly omit flowers, please.
Iva was born June 23, 1911 on a farm east of Butler, MO. Her parents were Mary Ann (White) Smith and Frank Smith. Her mother’s family donated land for the White Cemetery located five miles east of Butler in 1856. Her father’s family donated land for the Smith Cemetery southeast of Butler. Iva was the youngest of nine girls. Her mother died in the last great pandemic �" the influenza outbreak of 1918 that killed an estimated seventy-five million people worldwide. She was raised by her father, who never remarried, and her older sisters. She left home at age fifteen to live in Higginsville, MO with a sister’s family and went to work at the Higginsville Shoe factory. At age eighteen, she worked her way through Kansas City Business College by being a live-in childcare provider for a wealthy Kansas City businessman’s family.
At age nineteen, she married Herbert Horner. They lived fifty-nine years together in Fairmont and Independence, MO. Iva worked as a hairdresser, but mostly was a homemaker and mother to their four children. When the Truman Library was built across the street from the family home, she greatly enjoyed the activity that took place around the Library. She often visited with President Truman as he was coming and going, often walking between his home and the Library. Iva never learned to drive and enjoyed her own walks to the Independence Square and other places around town. The Federal Government took the family home by “Eminent Domain” to expand the Library’s parking. Having to leave the family home nearly did her in, but they relocated to East Lexington Street where they successfully established a new home. After Herb died in 1989, she continued to live alone and maintain the garden and yard until declining health led her to sell out and move to Fairmont Gardens Apts. at age 95.
Iva enjoyed her large extended family, gardening, dogs, cats, traveling and all holidays. Well into her 70’s and 80’s, she was known to bang pots and pans at midnight on New Years’ Eve, dress up as a ghost on Halloween and put up outside decorations at Christmas.
At age, ninety-three she decided she wanted to see Niagara Falls and New York City. She flew to New York state and did it all. She was only disappointed she didn’t get to meet David Letterman outside the Ed Sullivan Theater where his show is taped.
Iva was proud of all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her oldest son, Earl Gene, was retried from the Kansas City Police Dept. and preceded her in death.
She is survived by daughter Barbara Behymer, Independence, MO; sons Rolly “Bill” Horner, Kearney, MO; and Dr. Gary Horner, Belton, MO. She has seven grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.