Iva Jean passed away on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at the Shenandoah Medical Center.  Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at the Wabash Memorial Chapel in Shenandoah at 10:30 a.m.  The family will greet friends and family at the funeral home on Monday evening from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.  Burial will follow the funeral services in the Elmwood Cemetery in Coin.  Memorials may be directed to the Northboro Betterment Fund or the Coin Fire and Rescue.

Iva Jean Shirley was born on August 16, 1934 in the family home, she was the youngest of six children born to Glenn and Emma (Thorne) Shirley.  She was raised on a small farm called the Knapp Place, east of Waubonsie State Park in Fremont County Iowa.  Her early childhood was spent in and around Tabor.  The family lived near Sidney from 1937-1943, later moving for a brief time to Strahan before settling to their country home near Randolph in 1944.  She graduated from Randolph Schools in 1952.

On December 25, 1954 she was united in marriage to Gerald Neil Cutler at the Methodist Church in Shenandoah.  They made their home in Northboro.   This union was blessed with the birth of two children, Julie and Mark.   In her early days of working she was employed as a bank teller and worked for Tarpening Insurance.  She was first and foremost a dedicated and loving wife and mother who enjoyed tending to her home.  In her later years she enjoyed helping prepare lunches at auctions for McIntyre, Maher and Van Scyoc Auctioneers.

Iva Jean was a member of the United Methodist Church in Northboro where she served as the church pianist and enjoyed singing in the church choir.  She was also active  in the United Methodist Women.   She belonged to the Visit a While Club in Northboro, the Antique Study Club in Shenandoah and was an active member of the Blanchard Order of the Eastern Star, where she served as Worthy Matron.  Her hobbies and interests were many and included sewing, quilting, painting, cooking (without a recipe), baking pies, camping, traveling (she always enjoyed their trips with Neihart Tours), gardening and  tending to her flowerbeds.  She so loved time spent with family and friends.

She was welcomed into her heavenly home on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 by her parents, loving husband of 56 years Neil, siblings Grace, Lyde, Ross "Pete" and Laurence "Bill"  and cherished grandson Kyle Graham.  Those left to honor her legacy include her children, Julie (Ron) Graham  and Mark (Mary) Cutler all of Coin; grandchildren Kameron (Brandon) Johnson of Treynor and Michael (Hannah) Cutler of Shenandoah; granddaughter-in-law Hannah Coy Graham of Tabor; great-grandchildren Kenna, Logan and Laurel Graham, Tristyn and Haydin Johnson and Briggs and Collins Cutler; sister Patricia Griffes of Missoula, MT; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and a host of friends.