Obituary of Effie Lee Boggess

Effie Lee Boggess died peacefully on May 18, 2021, in Villisca, Iowa, at the age of 93. Born on a farm in Adams County, Iowa, to Virgil and Flossie Narigon on December 27, 1927, she grew up in a house near Nodaway. She graduated Valedictorian from Nodaway High School and attended Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. Effie married Frank Holmes (Jim) Boggess on September 22, 1946, and they spent most of their sixty-one years of marriage farming near Villisca. Effie’s deep commitment to her family is evident in the two books she authored preserving family history to be remembered and shared with future generations. She had a great love of family and family life. Her home was often the “home away from home” for many nieces and nephews during summer months. And she cherished her family and neighbors being together for picnics, “pasture” ball games, card playing, and celebrations. Effie had great joy in raising high quality sheep providing her family and area kids the opportunities to participate in county and state fairs, Ak-Sar-Ben, and other competitions. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, and landscaping. She especially enjoyed the old-fashioned peonies growing on their farm. Effie also had a love of birds—watching them and providing food and shelter to attract numerous varieties. She loved to read—non-fiction, historical, biographical, and travel books. And she read the Bible and devotions daily. She loved her husband. She loved and was proud of her children and their families-- all the generations her life of 93 years helped create. Although her achievements are too numerous to detail here, she was an inspiration and mentor for many women and girls. An epitome of strength (“a force to be reckoned with” some have said), Effie blazed the trail for women in Southwest Iowa. Special Highlights of her incredible life include: member of the Board of the Villisca United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women; long-time Page County 4-H leader, 4-H Alumni and Honorary award winner, Page County Homemaker of the year in 1982, and Iowa Master Farm Homemaker in 1990; six years as President, Vice President and member of the Sheep and Wool Promotion Board; first woman President of the Page County Farm Bureau; and five terms in the Iowa State Legislature from 1995 to 2005. Effie will be deeply missed. She is survived by her brother, Joseph Narigon; her children, Marilyn, Susy, Bill, Dick, Mark, Jane, and Jim; 19 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. Preceding her in death were her husband Jim Boggess; her parents; her brother Don Narigon; her sister Elinor (Ellie) Newman; and her great-granddaughter Kaisa Eliana VanEst. A luncheon at the Villisca Community Building will follow her internment at the Villisca Cemetery