Laura Lea Rios, Tiffin, Iowa, daughter of Phillip Ward Preston and Karolyn Kay (Howell) Preston, and wife of Frank Rios, passed away peacefully in her sleep at home on Sept. 21, 2023.
Born Nov. 24, 1962, in Iowa City, Laura spent her early years in Kalona, graduating from Mid-Prairie High School. Later, she attended Hesston College, Wichita, Kansas and Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids.
After college, she worked at University of Iowa Hospital & Clinic for more than 30 years, most recently at the Pediatric Specialty Clinic. She began at the hospital in maintenance and became a clerk in the operating room for the “Day of Surgery” unit. It was here that she met Frank Rios in 1985.
Laura and Frank were married April 16, 1988, in Iowa City. They made their home in the Iowa City/Tiffin area except for a short time in Georgia. They have one daughter, Brienna Elizabeth Rios.
Surviving Laura, is her husband: Frank; daughter: Brienna; brother: Greg Preston; and brother in heart: Brian Bender and wife Tonya; sister-in-law: Mary Sekula and husband Ed; brothers-in law: John Rios and friend Geri Greiner, Tom Rios and wife Wendy, Roy and Diane Rios, Henry Rios Jr, Benny Rios and wife Margaret; sisters-in-law: Donna Rios, Diana Rios, and Christa Gomez; three stepchildren; and 10 step-grandchildren.
Preceding Laura is her father: Phillip Preston; mother: Karolyn Kay (Howell) Preston; sister: Brenda (Preston) Mings; niece: Jennifer Mings; grandparents: Claude and Eldora Preston, Sarah (Aaron) Michener and husband Herbert Michener, and Carl Howell; in-laws: Henry and Binnie Rios; brothers-in law: Emmet Gomez, Raymond (Karen) Rios, Tony Rios and Ray Rios; sisters-in-law: Kathy Rios, Gladys Rios, Helen Gooden and husband Richard; three stepchildren: Terry Kaye, Steven Rios, and DeeAnna Rios Newlin; and four step-grandchildren: Alyssa Rios, Christopher Rios, Nicholas Newlin and Destinee Rios Witte. And her beloved four-legged family.
Laura had a passion for ancestry which took her and Frank on several adventurous trips to Ohio and Pennsylvania, one of those trips was in search of her 4th great-grandfather, Benedict Miller. They always came back home with amazing stories of being in the right place at the right time. She also attended the Jacob Hochstetler family reunion in 2013 and 2018.
Some of her favorite memories and stories were about growing up in Kalona during the 1970’s, when kids could be kids, and neighbors were neighbors and parents actually parented. She remained close to three childhood friends: Sheri Siefken Gates, Karla Swantz Coblentz, and Kathy Beckley Miller, along with their parents, Don and JoAnn Siefken, Chuck and Lorena Swantz, and Dick and Leah Dell Beckley.
Laura was a huge Iowa Hawkeye fan and was proud to wear the black and gold, and was so grateful her ancestors kept moving West, so she didn’t have to be a Buckeye!
The family wishes to thank the team at Iowa City Hospice for all their dedication and attention to Laura and the family’s needs.
Visitation will be held at Gay & Ciha Funeral Home, 2720 Muscatine Ave, Iowa City, Iowa, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, from 3-6 p.m., concluding with services at 6 p.m. Burial will be at 10 a.m. at Sharon Hill Cemetery, Kalona, Iowa. Feel free to wear your black and gold in her memory.
A memorial fund has been established in her name. For a complete obituary, to share a memory or condolence, visit Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service website at www.gayandciha.com.
