OBITUARY: Lauraine Miles Dinger, 1909-2003, Mitchell Co., Iowa
 
[ Mitchell County-Press-News online - Posted Dec. 31, 2003 ] 
 



                         Lauraine Miles Dinger
                         
A memorial service for Lauraine Miles Dinger, age 94, of Riceville, Iowa,
was held Saturday, Dec. 27, 2003 at the First Congregational United Church
of Christ in Riceville. Reverend Gale Richards officiated. Private
inurnment took place at Riverside Cemetery in Riceville. Lauraine
passed away on Dec. 24, 2003 at the Riceville Community Rest Home
from complications after a series of strokes.

Lauraine was born on May 22, 1909 on a farm northeast of Riceville, Iowa,
to William and Estella (Wildman) Miles. She attended rural school and
graduated from Riceville High School in 1926. She graduated with honors
from Iowa State Teachers College, Cedar Falls, Iowa, in 1930, with a B.A.
degree in French.

She spent her early years of teaching in Riceville, Lime Springs, Ida Grove
and Clinton, Iowa, schools. During World War II she moved to Chicago and
was employed at the First National Bank as a reviewer of trust accounts.
It was the job she loved the most out of her varied professional career.

On June 3, 1944 she married Lyle Dinger, a Navy Seabee, in Denver, Colorado.
After their honeymoon Lauraine returned to Chicago and Lyle shipped out
to the Pacific Theater for the next 15 months. At the end of the war they
settled in Riceville, where they happily spent the rest of their years.
In 1964 Lauraine returned to teaching and taught at Riceville High School
until 1975. Lauraine was a devoted wife and mother and created a loving
and nurturing home.

Lauraine was a faithful member of the First Congregational Church, the
Golden Rule Circle and the Riceville Garden Club. She was a charter
member of the Cedar Valley Retired Teachers Association. She loved
to cook and had a passion for reading. She read several books a week
until she was 90. She took many wonderful family trips over the years
and enjoyed visiting her children as they moved around the world.
Lauraine was the only mother in U.S. history to have two sons rise
through the ranks of the State Department to become U.S. Ambassadors.
She was a person filled with gratitude and often said "I have had a
wonderful life." She was always there for her family and will be dearly
missed.

Lauraine was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Donald and
Manley Miles and infant daughter Peggy and her husband Lyle in 1986.

Her survivors include her children Ambassador Larry (Paula) Dinger
of Kolonia, Pohnpei, Micronesia; Jan (Reverend Daniel) Duggan of
La Crescent, Minnesota; Ambassador John (Michie) Dinger of Washington,
D.C. and a stepson Glenn (Elizabeth) Dinger of Riceville, Iowa. Her
grandchildren are Cristina, James and William Dinger, Joshua, Whitney
and Andrew Duggan and Tai Dinger. She has four step-grandchildren Beth
Dinger, Brenda Singelstad, Paul Dinger and Susan Swancutt and four
step-great-grandchildren.

Linstrom Funeral Home, (641) 985-2711, Riceville was in charge of
arrangements.




     Copyright 2004, K. L. Kittleson