Mary Spiker-Anderson

Mary Louise (Faust) Spiker-Anderson, the oldest of four children of Effie (Valentine) Faust and August Bernard Faust, was born in Dexter, Iowa on June 18, 1925. Mary grew up in Stuart, Iowa and graduated from Stuart High School in 1943.

Mary and Burdette Homer Spiker were married at the Methodist Parsonage in Greenfield, Iowa on July 1, 1943. Burdette had entered the US Army in January 1943. They made their home in Greenfield until his discharge in 1946. They moved to Malvern, Iowa and their marriage was blessed with two children, Bernard Calvin and Bonnie Irene. Mary and Burdette both worked for C.A. Swanson & Sons poultry processing plant. In 1952, they started their own business, a produce buying station and farm route service, picking up cream, eggs, and poultry from farmers. In 1957, they expanded their business, Spiker Feed and Supply, to include feed and farm supplies. Mary worked along with Burdette in the family business until late 1967 when the business was sold to Farm Bureau. In January of 1968, she began working for Costello Insurance Agency in Malvern and later worked for Cheney Insurance in Glenwood, Iowa until her retirement.

Mary and Burdette were married 36 years when Burdette died at age 56 from a heart attack on August 22, 1979, while the couple were in Lake Tahoe, California. Following his death, Mary continued living and working in Malvern and remained active in the community.

Mary and Richard Irvin "Woody" Anderson were married on September 4, 1982. They made their home in Malvern and Woody continued farming until retiring in 1989. They later divorced.

Mary moved to the Fox Run Assisted Living Community in Council Bluffs, Iowa in July of 2007.

Mary was a member of the Malvern United Methodist Church and Silver Urn Chapter of Eastern Star serving as Worthy Matron in 1970. She was a long-time member of the Malvern Business & Professional Women's Club, serving as president 1963-65 and 1982-83 and was on the Board of the Malvern Village.

Mary passed away on December 10, 2010 at Jennie Edmundson Memorial Hospital in Council Bluffs, at the age of 85 years, 5 months, and 22 days. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Burdette Spiker; sister Thelma I. Furste and husband Robert.

Mary is survived by her son Bernard Spiker of Milton, FL and daughter Bonnie Hall of Council Bluffs; brothers, Floyd Faust and wife Rita of Stuart, IA, and Billy Faust and wife Mickey of Dallas, TX; four grandchildren, Ben Hall and wife Shannon and their children, Brayden and Ryan, of Denver, CO, Craig Spiker of Omaha, NE, Josh Hall and wife Robyn and their daughters, Izabella, Lucy and Ruby, of Omaha, NE, and Zach Hall and wife Mindy and their children, Heidi, Halle, and Zeb of Sidney, Iowa.

Memorials suggested to Malvern United Methodist Church and to Fox Assisted Living in Council Bluffs.