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Lois (McKinnie Carlson) Criss, 93, of Afton died Sunday, July 23, 2017, at Greater Regional Hospice Home in Creston.
Celebration of life services will be 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 29, at Lorimor United Methodist Church. The Rev. Joel Sutton and the Rev. Jim Morris will officiate. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery near Afton. Open visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday with family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Powers Funeral Home, 612 N. Dodge St., in Afton. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to either Lorimor Methodist Church or Afton Care Center Auxiliary. Online condolences may be left at www.powersfh.com.
Lois Louise (McKinnie) Criss, daughter of Lena Louise (Holt) and Charles Hamilton McKinnie, was born July 8, 1924, in Arispe. Lois graduated from Arispe High School in 1941.
On Sept. 5, 1943, Lois married Wayne Peter Carlson in California. They settled in California where she was a bookkeeper for Safeway Grocery Stores, then worked with Lockhead assembling aircraft. She later was an active mother and homemaker until Wayne died in 1968.
On Sept. 11, 1970, Lois married Virgil H. Criss in Des Moines. They lived in Afton on Lois’ farm where she continued working as a bookkeeper for Farmer’s Co-op in Afton until her retirement. Lois also helped Virgil run the Criss Food Store in Lorimor.
Lois was a member of Lorimor Methodist Church and former member of Eastern Star, and was a past Worthy Matron.
Lois is survived by her son Wayne “Skip” (Suzanne) Carlson Jr. of Afton; daughters, Mary Oxley of West Des Moines and Denise (Steve) Fisk of Afton; former son-in-law Kenny Oxley of Granger; step-sons, Ed (Kylene) Criss of Winterset and Skyler (Donna) Criss of Biloxi, Mississippi; 14 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Lois was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Wayne Carlson and Virgil Criss; son Terry (Kellie) Carlson; brothers, Paul, Millard, Gayle and Raymond McKinnie; sisters, Ruth Graves and Lola Hudson and her cats, Tommy and Max.