Ann L. Withrow

Ann L. Withrow, 87 of Le Mars, Iowa, passed away on Friday, August 7, 2026 in Antigua Guatemala.

Visitation with the family present will be from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 5, 2026 at Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home of Le Mars. Her family will be attending Mass at All Saints Parish - St. Joseph Catholic Church on Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. and will have a committal at Calvary Cemetery immediately following Mass.Expressions of sympathy may be expressed to the family through www.mauerjohnsonfh.com.

Ann L. Fisch was born on May 13, 1939 in Le Mars, Iowa to Dr. Roman and Hildegard Fisch. She grew up in Le Mars and attended Gehlen Catholic School. She grew up with three brothers: Al ‘Skip’, Tom, and Paul. Ann enjoyed school and made many wonderful lifelong friends there. She was a cheerleader and was crowned May Queen her senior year. She attended St. Joseph Catholic Church and her first job was playing the organ there.

After graduating from Gehlen Catholic High School, she attended Loretta Heights in Denver, Colorado where she studied elementary education. She then continued her education, graduating from Bowie State University in Maryland with a Master's in Education and the University of South Dakota in Vermillion with a Doctorate in Education.

Ann’s first job was teaching 3rd grade in the Denver school system. She then moved to Northern California where she taught elementary school. It was there that she met her future husband, Bud Withrow. Bud and Ann were united in marriage on June 16, 1974 in Fairfield, California. In 1981 they moved to Estes Park, Colorado where they operated Lazy T Resort, a small motel and restaurant, for eight years. They then returned to Le Mars where Ann helped take care of her aging parents. She worked briefly at the Le Mars Public Library and then began teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) at Teikyo Westmar College. She also taught in the education department at Westmar College and Buena Vista University. After retiring from BVU she still continued to teach ESL in Le Mars.

In her adult years, Ann loved playing the piano, dancing, and skiing. She loved taking long walks down scenic Central Avenue in Le Mars. She also participated in many plays at the Postal Playhouse in Le Mars. She also loved to travel; she made many trips to Europe with students from BVU and visited her daughter in Latin America. Bud passed away in 2016.

At the age of 80, she moved to Guatemala City to live with her daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters. Two years later, she moved with them to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she travelled with the family throughout South America. In 2024, she moved with the family back to Guatemala, this time living nestled in the volcanoes of Antigua Guatemala.

During her final years, she loved doing word search puzzles, eating pancakes on Sunday morning, and reading stories to her granddaughters. Ann was a deeply kind and selfless woman. She had a quick sense of humor and was always up for a good time.

Ann is survived by her daughter, Catherine (Fernando Espina) Withrow; and granddaughters: Olive Espina Withrow and Eva Espina Withrow.

Ann is preceded in death by her parents, Roman and Hildegard Fisch; husband, Bud Withrow; and her brothers, Al and Tom Fisch.