Adala M. Springmier, 97
Adala M. Springmier, age 97 of New Hampton, passed away on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, at Colonial Manor in Elma.
Funeral services will be held at noon on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at Conway-Markham Funeral Home in New Hampton with Mary Ann Diesburg officiating.
There will be a one hour visitation prior to the funeral service on Tuesday.
Burial will be at New Hampton Cemetery following the funeral service.
Online condolences may be left at www.conwaymarkham.com. Memorials may be directed to the family.
Adala Mae was born May 3, 1925, the daughter of Alfred and Milda (Dahlstrom) Kalvig on the family farm outside of Waverly. As a child, the Kalvig family moved quite often, but in June 1933, they made their home in the Waterloo area where Adala completed her education in the early 1940s.
At the young age of 13, Adala started working a couple weekends and summers at a local gas station and grocery store. During the height of WWII, at age 16, she went to work at Montgomery Wards as a sales clerk and later went to work at John Deere to help the war efforts.
In January 1944, the Kalvig family then moved southwest of New Hampton.
During this time, Adala started going roller skating in Nashua. One evening a boy asked her to skate. She did and he continued asking several times after that until the night when he asked if he could take her home. This is when she met the love of her life, Russell Springmier.
The couple quickly fell in love and were united in marriage on October 25, 1944 in Waterloo. Together, they made their home north of New Hampton where they farmed side by side for 25 years and she also spent some time in the mid 1960s working at Hollies Cafe.
During this time they welcomed their four children — Joanne, Janice, Judy and Lynn.
In 1970, Russell and Adala retired to New Hampton. The move to town wasn’t quite enough to keep Adala busy. In 1974, she purchased the A&L Dairy Queen, which she ran until 1981 when her daughter Judy purchased the company from her. Not ready to hang her hat just yet, Adala continued to work until 2003 when she retired.
Throughout the years, the Springmier family enjoyed many fishing trips and bowling tournaments.
She was a member of at United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ where she taught Sunday school. She was also a member of the Jacksonville Happy Homemakers Club and an officer for the Women’s Bowling Association.
Adala’s greatest joy came from raising her children and caring for her family.
Those left to cherish her memories are her children, Janice (Dave) Lemke-Springmier of Douglasville, Georgia, Judy Eichenberger of New Hampton, and Lynn (Karen) Springmier of New Hampton; her grandchildren, James (Bobby) Pietan, Michael Pietan, Julie (Mikell) Wetzell, Dana Eichenberger, Jeremy (Heather) Eichenberger, Adam (Miranda) Eichenberger, Kristy (Josh Bracken) Eichenberger, Erik Springmier and Ryan (Barbara) Springmier; step-grandson Joe (Angela) Lemke; numerous great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and extended family; and great fur babies.
She was preceded in death by, her parents; her husband, daughter, Joanne Roberts; son-in-law, Gerald Eichenberger; great-granddaughter, Emma Eichenberger; and her siblings, Melford Kalvig, Melvin Kalvig, Lester Kalvig, Gloria Ihnen and Leo Kalvig.
