JoAnn Helen Lovell-Zeman

JoAnn Helen Lovell-Zeman, 85, of Monticello, formerly of Prairieburg, passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at Pennington Square Assisted Living. The family will greet friends from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Central City. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at St Joseph Catholic Church in Prairieburg, Iowa, with visitation one hour before. Burial will follow at St Joseph Cemetery in Prairieburg.

She was born on September 26, 1939, in Masonville, Iowa, to Joseph and Helen (Henry) Loughren. On July 4, 1957, she married Melvin Lovell, who later preceded her in death. She later married Danny Zeman in 2015, who also passed away before her. She dedicated many years as a nurse’s aide at Winslow House Care Center and spent a decade working at Menards in Cedar Rapids, a job she truly loved. A devoted member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Prairieburg, she actively served on the board and assisted with funeral meals.

She had a deep love for gardening and took great pride in tending to her flowers. She enjoyed working in her yard and maintaining her land. An avid outdoorswoman, she also found joy in hunting and fishing. Easygoing by nature, she embraced life with a "go with the flow" attitude. She looked forward to watching Wheel of Fortune every evening and cherished playing BINGO at the nursing home with her friends.

Left to cherish her memory include her children; Rick Lovell, Rob Lovell, Randy Lovell, Ron (Jessica) Lovell, Marty (Michelle) Lovell; daughter-in-law, Jacki Lovell; 15 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; siblings, Richard Elliott, Leo (Karen) Loughren; brother-in-law, Tom Wendel; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Melvin Lovell and Danny Zeman; son, James “Jim” Lovell; siblings, Tom Loughren, Johnny Loughren, Lorraine Hovey, Peg Smith, and Pat Wendel. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St Joseph Catholic Church in Prairieburg.