White Funeral Home
400 First Street West
Independence, Iowa 50644

Independence – Sheryl Fay Holtz Mace, 75 years old, of Independence, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, August 26th, at the Buchanan County Health Center in Independence, unexpectedly after a long courageous battle with Alzheimer’s.

She was born on July 8, 1946, in Manning, Iowa, the daughter of Elvin Fred and Vera Arlene (Lange) Holtz.  She attended East Buchanan where she established lifelong friendships. She graduated from high school in Independence with the Class of 1964.  She attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, and later graduated from UNI in Cedar Falls, Iowa, with her B.A. in Early Childhood Education in 1970.  She later earned her M.A. in reading and language arts in 1993. Mrs. Mace was an elementary teacher for over 35 years, briefly at the MHI in Independence, and in Killeen, Texas. She then returned to Independence and dedicated the rest of her teaching career to the Independence Community School District.

On December 16, 1967, Sheryl and Steven Dale Mace were united in marriage at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Independence. Together they had three daughters, Molly Elizabeth, Katie Allison, and Gretchen Victoria. They later divorced.

Sheryl was an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church where she took part in the women’s circle and the Senior Choir.  She was also a member of P.E.O., LACES, and a strong supporter of the mentoring program. She enjoyed playing bridge and was a member of the Wapsipinicon Golf Club.

Sheryl is survived by her 2 daughters, Molly (Dwayne) Martin and Katie (JD) Wolf; 5 grandchildren, Jacob Dean, Olivia Linnae, Sophie Lorene, Talia Lange, and Jackson Dale Wolf, all of Independence.  She is also survived by 2 brothers, Steve (Kathy) Holtz of Montgomery City, Missouri, and Andrew (Kristen) Holtz of Boise, Idaho; 3 nieces, 3 nephews, 2 great nieces; a dear family friend Bonnie; 2 foreign exchange daughters, Laila and Ingvild; 3 foreign exchange grandchildren, Norma, Noriki, and Cami; 7 godchildren, and 2 wonderful care givers, Emma and Sydnie.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 26 years, Steve Mace, and their daughter, Gretchen Victoria Mace.

Sheryl was a generous, faithful, caring, and compassionate human being who absolutely loved teaching and adored her students!  Her real passion was reading to children and teaching them to love books.  Roses were Sheryl’s favorite flower!  She enjoyed tending to her flower gardens and sharing her love of flowers, butterflies, and garden fairies with everyone that would come to her house to visit!  And singing…she loved music…whether it was from the hymnal, Broadway, Simon Estes, “Oldies” or Barry Manilow.  She loved to sing!

But above all, her greatest love in life was being a Nana to her five amazing grandchildren!  She loved them with all of her heart!  And now, her legacy will live on through her daughters, her grandchildren, her students, and everyone that she had an impact on and whose lives were made better by knowing Sheryl and being loved by her!

Funeral Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 4th at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Independence with Rev. Greg DeBoer officiating. Services will be livestreamed on the Immanuel Lutheran Church – Indee Facebook page.  Burial will be at Wilson Cemetery in Independence.

Visitation will be held from 4 p.m. until 8p.m. on Friday, September 3rd, at the White Funeral Home in Independence, and for an hour before services, Saturday, at the church.

White Funeral Home of Independence is in charge of arrangements.