Iris Elizabeth Serl

Iris Elizabeth (Snodgrass) Serl’s life ended peacefully on Sept. 24, 2025, with family by her side. She will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother as well as a dear friend to many. Iris was born Jan. 31, 1937, to Elmer Friend Snodgrass and Frances Iris (Workman) Snodgrass in Portland, Oregon. She moved to Onalaska in her early teens where she met Bobby Gene Serl, who emphatically told family and friends, “I’m gonna marry her.”

She graduated from Onalaska High School in 1955 and married Bob soon after on June 4, 1955, at Onalaska First Church of God. Together they moved to Chehalis in the summer of ’69. They would spend more than 73 years together, married for 68 years. They were truly the one great love of each other’s lives.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother, brothers O. Lloyd and Leonard, and sister Fay. Iris is survived by their four married children: Deanna and Mike Borseth, Chehalis; Bobby and Teresa Serl, Jr., Onalaska; William (Bill) and Dawn Serl, Centralia; and Danielle and Eugene (Butch) Miller, Winlock; 11 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, 3 great-great-grandchildren; her sister Elma Lyons, Onalaska; numerous nieces and nephews, greats, and twice greats too numerous to list. She also leaves behind her beloved dog Makiah.

Iris will be most remembered for her devotion to her family, especially in caring deeply for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren for whom she had tremendous patience and love. She found a passion for ceramics in the mid-70s while working as a caster and instructor at Klay Kraft Ceramics. She enjoyed crocheting, baking, gardening, bowling, painting, and creating throughout her life. Iris went to work at Mother Hubbard’s Day Care and Preschool in 1981 and continued working there as a cook and early childhood educator for many years.

The family would like to extend a special thank you, love, and appreciation to her longtime caregivers, Lottie and Eva, for supporting us in Iris's fifinal years, months, and days.

Please join the family for graveside services Saturday, Oct. 4, 11 a.m., at Alpha Cemetery (Onalaska) followed by a gathering and potluck at The Forest Grange (Chehalis).

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