BJ Ladely, 76 of Grinnell and formerly of Montezuma passed away at her home on Friday, January 8, 2021. Funeral services will begin at 2:00 pm Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at the Holland-Coble Funeral Home in Montezuma. Burial will be held in the Jackson Township Cemetery in Montezuma. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Grinnell Regional Hospice or PALS (Poweshiek Animal League Services). Holland-Coble Funeral Home of Montezuma is in charge of arrangements.

Billie Jo Ladely, the daughter of Glen "Skinner" Brown and Lois (Campbell) Taylor and step father, Harold Taylor, was born on July 27, 1944 in New Sharon, Iowa. She graduated from Montezuma High School in 1962. BJ also graduated with honors from Marshalltown Community College. She lived in Montezuma before moving to Grinnell in 1993. Fitness was very important to her and she was a fitness instructor with her daughter, Mandy, for several years.   Billie Jo worked at Grinnell Graphics as a typesetter and secretary for a few years before managing the bar at the Grinnell Country Club. BJ then was a bartender and waitress at the Eagles in Grinnell and then in 1997, she went to work for Kevin Durbin at the State Farm Office in Grinnell retiring in 1999. She was an animal lover and had a special place in her heart for cats. She loved music and was always the life of the party.  She loved to work on her tan and took great pride in her appearance.  She even picked out and provided her lipstick color for today.   BJ was very witty and always had a quick comeback with a smart-ass comment. Billie Jo was a member of the Ladies Eagles Auxiliary.

Her memory will be honored by her daughters, Jacque Jo (J.B.) Anderson of Grinnell and Mandy (Bo Hollar) Ladely of Altoona; five grandchildren, Jessica (Brenda) Anderson, Lucas (Kelsey) Anderson, Clayton (Quinn) Cheney, Elizabeth Anderson and Tanae (Justin) Rankin; 5 great grandchildren, Beckett Cheney, Briar Cheney, Grace Anderson, Tyler Rankin and Jaxon Rankin; a brother-in-law, Leo Tarvin of Montezuma and many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Ronald Brown; her sister, Linda Tarvin and her brother in infancy, Marvin Taylor.