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DES MOINES, Iowa  —  Former Iowa Lt. Governor Joy Corning apparently wanted to have the last word on how her life should be remembered.

Corning passed away Saturday night at the age of 84.  Today an obituary was published penned by Corning herself.  Here is her final message about her life:

“Not many people get the luxury of writing their obituary but I do. So here goes:

Joy Cole Corning was born Sept 7, 1932 and died on May 20, 2017. My parents were Ethel Sullivan Cole and Perry Aaron Cole. I had two younger siblings, Clark and Frank. I graduated from Bridgewater High School in 1949 and later, from Iowa State Teachers College (UNI), with a degree in Kindergarten and Primary Education. After teaching for a short time, I married Burt Corning in June 1955, which was the smartest thing I did in my life. We lived in Cedar Falls, Iowa our entire married life.

We had three wonderful daughters, Carol, Claudia, and Ann. I quickly became involved in community organizations and have continued giving my time to organizations for which I am passionate. I am most passionate about issues related to children and families, women’s health & rights, equality and justice, education and the arts.

Pre-deceased are my parents, husband, brother Frank, and my son-in-law Brad Peyton. I leave behind my three daughters Carol (Allan) Hallquist of Kansas City, Missouri, Claudia Peyton of Urbandale, Iowa and Ann (Patrick) Lyons of Cedar Falls, Iowa. Also surviving me are my nine grandchildren, two step grandchildren, my brother Clark and special cousins, David, Sally, and Sue.

If you choose to contribute to a memorial, these are four that I have been involved in and appreciate their missions in our community: Planned Parenthood of the Heartland Foundation, Plymouth Church Foundation, UNI Foundation and the Des Moines Symphony Foundation.

Thanks to all who have contributed to and enriched my life.”

A visitation for Joy Corning will be held Wednesday, May 24th from 4:00-7:00pm at Plymouth Congregational Church on Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines.  Her funeral will be held at 11:00am on Thursday at the church.