Lois Maxine Ogan, 88, of Grinnell, died Oct. 30, 2020, at St. Francis Manor in Grinnell. Lois was the wife of Officer Ralph Ogan, who was killed in the line of duty in 1963, while a member of the Grinnell Police Department.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, at Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. Burial was in Pleasant Township Cemetery in Ewart. Memorial contributions may be designated to the Ogan family c/o her daughter, Roberta Schnell, 402 4th Street, Lynnville, IA 50153.
Lois was born June 1, 1932, in New Sharon, the daughter of Isaac and Daisy Maude McCain Whisenand. She was raised in Mahaska County and attended a rural school near her home. In 1942, her family moved to the Ewart area, and she was a 1949 graduate of Montezuma High School.
Dec. 24, 1950, she was united in marriage with Ralph W. Ogan, Jr. in Ewart. The couple lived in New Sharon, where she was employed with Pella Overall Company, and then in Montezuma, and later in Ewart. In 1957, she began working for the Grinnell Shoe Company, prior to moving to Grinnell in 1958. Following the death of her husband in 1963, she continued to make her home in Grinnell. She was employed at General Telephone Company for 30 years, retiring in 1991. Thereafter, she cleaned houses for several families for 12 years and was a receptionist at Iowa Valley for 4.5 years. In 2007, Lois received a Volunteer Service Award for 20 years of service as a volunteer at Grinnell Regional Medical Center.
Lois enjoyed cooking, making baby quilts, and loved spending time with her family, especially her time with her grandchildren. She loved socializing with her friends, baking cookies for the Grinnell Police Department, and watching Molly B polka dance on TV. She held a wonderful faith.
She is survived by her three children, Roberta (Dale) Schnell of Lynnville, Robert (Linda) Ogan of Montezuma, and Michael (Monica) Ogan of Grinnell; five grandchildren, Matthew (Missy) Ogan, Angie (Scott) Patterson, Christopher (Jenny) Ogan, Jeremy (Jodi) Schnell, and Joel (Heather) Schnell; two stepgrandchildren, Lori and Bradley Nelson; 12 great-grandchildren, Garrett Ogan, Tania (Derek) Thompson Jones, Halley (Kane) Ogan Barker, Dakota Schnell, Tyler Thompson, Blaine Ogan, Reese Schnell, Jessica Ogan, Brady Ogan, Makenna, Selah, Keegan Schnell; one great-great-grandchild, Jameson Jones and another one (Barker family) expected in May; five siblings, Gerald (Karen) Whisenand of South Beloit, IL, Bill Whisenand of Albuquerque, NM, Paul Whisenand of Ames, Phyllis Phillips of Montezuma, and Linda (Jim) Hotchkin of Grinnell; and one sister-in-law, Virginia Ogan of Osceola. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ralph in 1963; one grandson, Gregory Schnell in 1986; two brothers, Donald and Jack Whisenand; four sisters-in-law, June, Merlene, Sylvia, and Helen; and one brother-in-law, Duane Phillips; her father and mother-in-law, Ralph Sr. and Alma (Eash) Ogan; her brother-in-law, Ronnie Ogan; a brother and sister-in-law, Ralph and Shirley Lemke; one niece, Kathy Phillips Henry; and one nephew, Chuck Whisenand.
