Lois R. Thompto

Lois Ruth (Heins, Dahly, Hungerford) Thompto, 96, of Mason City, passed away on Friday, October 10, 2025, at the IOOF Home. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, October 20, 2025, at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 428 W Walnut St, Manly, IA with Pastor Linda Johnson-Prestholt officiating. Visitation will be held from 9 – 11 a.m. Interment will be held at Manly Cemetery.

Lois was born on April 13, 1929, in Hampton, Iowa, the first of four children to Harry L. and Genevieve (Foughty) Heins. The family lived in Hampton and Geneva, Iowa, until Lois was 7 years old, then moved to Riceville. She attended rural school and went on to attend Riceville High School. Lois married Donald Dahly, and the couple had two children, Lavonne and Joe. They were later divorced. After moving to Mason City in 1973, Lois married Neil Hungerford and adopted her son Michael. She and Neil enjoying travelling to Texas for the winters, and after Neil died of cancer, Lois continued those trips alone for 4 years. In 1993, Lois married Harry “Bob” Thompto and continued the tradition of Texas trips with him.

During her lifetime, Lois was very ambitious. She worked as a waitress, a nurse’s aide, a teaching aide, an inventory clerk at the Riceville school, and an insurance lady for IBP. She became an audio technician under OSHA and worked in the auditor’s office in the Cerro Gordo county courthouse. After marrying Neil, she worked in the fields as well.

When Lois had time, she spent it knitting or dancing and loved to spend time with her friends. She was a devoted church member and was instrumental in the construction of the fellowship hall and parking lot for Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

Those left to treasure their memories of Lois are her children, Michael Hungerford, Lavonne (Edward) Byrnes and Joe Dahly (Sarah Riden); grandchildren, Eric and Melissa Hungerford; Tyler (Cassandra) Hungerford; their children, Zane, Zoey, and Zeppelen; Joshua and Colleen Byrnes; their children, Alexandria, Nolan, and Scarlett; Jonathan and Dani Byrnes; Cameron Byrnes; his children, Braden, Liam, Oliver, Piper; Collin (Angie) Byrnes; sister, Barbara (Delmar) Austinson; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husbands, Neil Hungerford and Harry “Bob” Thompto; her parents, Harry and Genevieve Heins; daughter-in-law, Vickie Hungerford; brothers Wayne and Harry “Lloyd” Heins; nephews, David Austinson and Curtis Hungerford; and niece, Jean Ramum.