Mary Alice Westlake was born on May 14, 1941 to Bill and Alice Westlake on a farm northwest of Lenox, Iowa. She was the oldest of three daughters and is survived by her sisters Nancy (Larry) Stoaks and Ada Jeanne Loving, her daughters Cindy Taylor and Julie (Kenny) Jaramillo. She had three grandchildren, Mike Sills, Kate Gray, and Lisa (Dru) Esquibel. Five great grandchildren, Marcus and J seph Nival, Quentin Jaramillo, and Jackson and Max Esquibel. Nephews and nieces Mark (Patty) Stoaks, Becky (Jerry) Aldora, and Clint (Colleen) Stoaks and numerous great nieces and nephews. And her very special friend Hugh Mac McGinty.Wally went to country school through the second grade and then her family moved to a farm closer to Lenox, IA so she then went to town school. She was quite a tomboy and always loved being out with her Dad driving tractors, working with the animals, and riding her horse Princey. Her parents were farmers as well as her father was a musician and played in a small country band. So much of the family's social life was geared toward dances and music. Most Saturday nights growing up we were at a dance somewhere and her mother taught all the girls to dance and they relished it immensely. Wally played the piano sometimes in her Dad's band and also was a drummer in the Lenox High School band. She was quite athletic and played a variety of sports in high school including basketball which was her favorite. The nickname Wally was given to her by her high school softball coach as there is a famous basketball player named Wally Westlake and the name stuck with her. Most people didn't even know her given name, Mary Alice, she has always been Wally.She graduated from Lenox High School in 1959 and moved to Des Moines where she worked for Allied Mutual Insurance Company. She met Michael Wilson in Des Moines and they married in 1961. Two daughters were born of this union, Cindy and Julie, they divorced in 1988. She met Del Busick in 1990 and found the dance partner/musician extraordinaire, they were together until Del's death in 2000. She worked for and retired from Sears after 27 years of service in Des Moines, IA. In 2004 Wally decided to move to Colorado where her daughters and sisters lived. While living in Longmont she worked at Ace Hardware and loved working in the Garden Center until she retired again. She then went to work for the City of Longmont as the Dance Coordinator at the Longmont Senior Center, a job she loved because she got to dance and socialize and get paid for it! She was very active at the Elks Lodge in Longmont and was chosen as the first woman Head Trustee for the lodge. She never met a stranger and had that great Wally smile. She will be sorely missed by many.Services will be at 1:00 PM Monday December 5th, 2016 with viewing prior at Ahlberg Funeral Chapel, 326 Terry Street, Longmont, CO. Cremation will follow the service. Donations may be made in Wally's honor to any charity that has to do with kids. Visit www.ahlbergfuneralchapel.com to share condolences.
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