Ione Ruth (Whitehouse) Satory, 91, born June 22, 1931, in ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Omaha, NE, passed away on March 25, 2023 at 8:30 AM in Livingston, TX.  She was the eldest of three daughters of a pastor and grew up all over Iowa.  She graduated from Fonda High School in 1948 and followed in her mother's footsteps by earning her 2-year teaching degree at Buena Vista College.  Ione met Reynard Marian Satory in choir at BV and they married in 1951, had five children, and 66 years together.

Ione was a wonderful, masterful homemaker and mother, raising 5 children over 36 years.  She provided a stable, loving home with most of those years in Graettinger and Le Mars, IA.  She instilled the importance of helping others through volunteering.  She lovingly sewed dozens of small quilts to donate to hospitals for children with HIV after caring for her own granddaughter and daughter and seeing the comfort they could bring.  It was not home if you couldn't hear her humming or singing, usually traditional hymns she had learned to belt out at an early age.  She taught her children to make a decision and not look back with regret.

Ione enjoyed summer travels with the family to see historic sites or museums, or capture a photo next to flowers.  Ione tended to a huge garden, supplying what she needed for freezing and canning; belonged to a food coop before it was a thing, refinished all the woodwork and wallpapered her home; could make something creative out of nothing; sewed décor, clothes, gifts, wedding and prom dresses; had a hot breakfast prepared before school and dinner on the table at 5:30.  She supported and attended her family's activities, and never sat still herself.  She was active in Eastern Star and many church organizations, a faithful member in every town they lived.  If she could not be outside swimming or gardening, she loved playing piano, dominoes, crossword puzzels, and line dancing.  She was an avid reader with piles of library books next to her chair.

Ione was always wanting to learn and challenge her mind.  She continued her college education and graduated the same year as her eldest daughter in 1975, each with a Bachelors of Library Science.  Ione then led and grew the Le Mars Library children's program, fostering a love of reading to hundreds of kids for 10 years, before retiring in 1988.   She and Rey then moved to the family cottage in Spirit Lake, IA.

She always welcomed her adult children home for summer visits, continuing to teach them life lessons simply by the way she lived her life as a strong and positive woman.  From their summer home base, Ione and Rey traveled for almost 20 years around the U.S. in their RV until 2007 when Rey had a stroke.  They permanently moved to The Gardens Assisted Living Community in Livingston, TX, where she resided for 12 years.

Ione was preceded in death 5 years by her husband Reynard Satory; parents Carrol and Cora Whitehouse; sisters Betty Gideon and Annabelle McFarling; daughter Sallie "Sunny" Sigaty; and granddaughter Aubrey Ione Sigaty.  Ione is survived by children Randy Rae Satory (Wolfe) of Livingston, TX; David Satory of Sioux City, IA; Cheryl Satory (Fedders) of Thornton, CO; and Jennifer Satory Christoffer of Red Wing, MN; grandchildren Jamie Wolfe Kinser, Dusty Wolfe Meadors Jones (Scott Jones), Joshua Fedders, Amy Fedders, and Cora Christoffer; great-grandchildren Tiffany Kinser, James Dalton Kinser, Colin Meadors, and Scott Flinn Jones Jr.

A memorial service will be held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church at 806 W Jones St, Livingston, TX, 1:00 P.M. April 15, 2023.  A memorial service will also be held at St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Spirit Lake, IA, in August 2023.  The family will be greeting friends and relatives at each.  Interment of ashes will follow at St. Alban's Episcopal Church – Columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations may be made to:  Livingston Municipal Library, 707 N. Tyler Ave., Livingston, TX, 77351, Spirit Lake Public Library, 702 16th St., Spirit Lake, IA, 51360; or Le Mars Public Library, 46 1 ^st Street SW, Le Mars, IA 51031.