RICEVILLE — Donna Lea “Lea” Cody, 93, formerly of Riceville, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Apple Valley Assisted Living in Osage, where she had lived for the past eight years.
Lea was born April 15, 1933, in Plover, Iowa, the youngest of six children born to Ward Sharp and Hazel Henderson Sharp. She married James Cody on September 21, 1952, at the Presbyterian Church in Plover, and together they raised five children.
The Cody family lived in Cylinder and Minburn before making Riceville their home in 1973. Lea became part of the Riceville community through her work, her church and her service to others.
She worked for Riceville Schools as a custodian, bus driver and kitchen helper until retiring in 1990. She also gave many years of service to the Riceville Food Pantry, serving as a board member and officer from its beginning in 1988 until 2013.
Lea was a longtime member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Riceville. Her Christian faith was an important part of her life, and she enjoyed time with family, friends and the community around her.
She also enjoyed square dancing and baseball bus trips with her husband, Jim. Family remained central throughout her life, and she leaves behind children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will carry her memory forward.
Lea is survived by three children, Bill Cody of Mason City, Tom Cody of Little Cedar and Tim Cody of Stewartville, Minnesota; a son-in-law, Don Beyer of Mitchell; 16 grandchildren; and 34 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James Cody, in December 2010; her parents; her stepfather, August Anderson; her son, Robert; her daughter, Cindy Beyer; her sisters, Marjorie Iseminger, Bonnie Wolfe and Betty Delfosse; her brother, Charles Sharp; and a brother, William Sharp, who was missing in action during the Korean conflict.
Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Riceville, with visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial took place at St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery in rural Riceville.
Schmelzer Funeral Home, formerly Lindstrom Funeral Home, is handling arrangements. To read more and see the full obituary, please click here.
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