Warren Monroe

Warren Hoyt Monroe (Hoyt), 98, went to heaven to be with the Lord and Cathie on April 5 after spending several days in hospice care at the Greene County Medical Center. 

Visitation with family present will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. May 3 at the Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home. 

A celebration of life will be held at 10:30 a.m. May 4 at the First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson with the Rev. Roger Todd and the Rev. Barbara Todd offering words of comfort. Phil Monroe will share a letter written to his dad. Gary Haupert will be the soloist and Cheryl Nailor will be accompanist. 

Honorary bearers are Hoyt’s granddaughters: Jody Shoup, Jill Utley, Wendy Roesler, Kristal Hayek, Elizabeth Craciun, Rebecca Ormiston, Jackie Monroe, Sarah Speicher, Katie Lewis, Amanda Hendrickson and Andrea Baker.

Interment will be in Zion Methodist Church Cemetery in Marion County.

Memorials may be directed to First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson or RCE International.

Hoyt was born in a farm-home near Pershing on Nov. 2, 1920. He was the son of Elzy B. and Leona E. (Rankin) Monroe. He had six sisters and one brother, none of whom survived him.

Hoyt attended country school but finished high school in Knoxville, graduating in 1939. 

While in school, God planned an encounter at a YTC meeting on July 7, 1938, with Catherine Schwien, of Boone, at the Methodist Church in Goldfield for what would forever change his life. After nearly three years of long-distance courtship, they married on March 16, 1941. They lived near Pershing first, then moved to an acreage near Columbia and finally to Knoxville where they raised their four sons: James, Philip, Stephen and William.

Hoyt was active in the Knoxville Methodist Church as well as Christ Church as a Sunday school teacher and elder.

After serving two years in the Army, Hoyt began working at the VA Hospital in Knoxville where he was employed for 28 years.

Besides working at the VA, Hoyt farmed near Attica and raised a large garden to feed his growing boys (this also became a great hobby in retirement). Hoyt even spent a couple of years running a rural milk route and driving a cab. 

His sons learned the value of hard work, integrity and strong faith from their caring father and loving mother. The boys also learned how to love their wives by his example of loving Cathie.

In retirement, they enjoyed winters in Fort Myers, Fla. They moved to Ever Greene Ridge senior living community in 1992 after having spent nearly 71 years of Hoyt’s life in Marion County.

Hoyt had lived at Ever Greene Ridge in Jefferson for 26 years. Hoyt was a frequent user of the Greene County Community Center until age 94. He served as an elder in the Jefferson Presbyterian Church and attended worship and Bible studies each week.

A great joy in his life was time spent with his boys and their wives, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed driving to Spokane and Ohio to see family, as well as holidays in Des Moines, Polk City, Goldfield and Jefferson.

Hoyt is survived by his four sons: Jim (Joyce) Monroe, of Sedalia Mo.; Phil (Jan) Monroe, of Spokane, Wash.; Steve (Dot) Monroe, of Johnston; and Bill (Martha) Monroe, of Jefferson. Also surviving him are 11 granddaughters and 20 great-grandchildren, two sisters-in-law, a brother-in-law and several nieces and nephews.

Preceding Hoyt in death were his parents; six sisters and one brother; and Cathie, his beloved wife of 60 years.

Cathie died in May 2001.

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Address: 200 N. Wilson St.
Jefferson, IA 50129

Phone:(515) 386-4161