Iola Lee Bramhall, a lifelong resident of the Dayton area, passed away Sunday, January 28, 2018 at her home along the banks of Patit Creek surrounded by her loving family. She was 97. A Memorial Service celebrating her life will be held on Thursday, February 1st, at 2:00 p.m. at the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Dayton. A private burial service will take place in the Dayton Cemetery. Iola was born February 28, 1920 at the family homestead at the Aurora Orchards south of Dayton. She was the second born of three girls to bless the home of Neil and Fairy June (Kneff) Ryerson. As a small girl the family lived near the orchards along the North Fork of the Touchet River before moving to Kettle Falls, Washington. A few years later, Iola moved back to Dayton and into the home of her grandmother. She attended the Star school and Dayton High School, where she graduated in 1938. She met Jack Merrill Bramhall while in high school but it wasn't until a few years later when she was working as a waitress that Iola made him a milkshake that he never forgot. They dated for a while and were married November 9, 1941 in Spokane. They made their home on his family's farm along Bramhall Road and Iola kept very busy as a homemaker and mother. During the war the Bramhall's supplied eggs, milk and pigs in support of the war effort. Iola was an excellent cook and made large meals for the harvest crews. Her pies were famous. In addition to being a great cook she was connoisseur of good food, she enjoyed talking about food and loved planning menus. Iola was a lifelong learner and had a curiosity about many varied subjects. She studied architecture and design and she also wrote a book that will be cherished by her family. She was a very talented artist and painted numerous oils, watercolors in her later life and pastels that were often given as treasured gifts. She was very musical and had played the piano since age 14. Iola also sang in a group of nine women and could write music when a certain part was needed. She was a member of the Dayton art club and of Redeemer Lutheran Church.  Iola had a profound belief and relationship with God which words cannot capture. Her faith was evident to all who knew her and so was her love of a good party.

She needed no excuse for celebration and was determined to live a positive life and vigorously promoted this way of living.  She was a hostess through and through and could throw a party that was as elegant and classy as she was. She especially loved the holidays. Iola will be remembered as a very wise and strong woman. Her husband Jack passed away May 15, 1997 and in 2000 she moved in with her daughter and son-in-law Jill and Dick Ingram. Iola will be missed by many in the community but mostly by her two daughters; Marilyn (Joe) Banz and Jill (Dick) Ingram both of Dayton; 4 grandchildren, Danielle Banz, Marilee Bramhall, Jessica Coffey and Justin Ingram; 6 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-granddaughter; and by her sisters, Donna Hart of Texas, Marlene Brodhead and Myrna Hutchison both of Dayton. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by sisters Muriel Segraves, Luana Matthews and Dixie Robanske. Memorial gifts in Iola's honor are suggested to a charity of donor's choice.

Hubbard-Rogg Funeral Home of Dayton is caring for the family.