“I’m not a native, but I spent a lot of my time here,” the 95-year-old resident of Ames said Wednesday.

Her family has a Fort Dodge connection dating back to the 1860s. She went to school in the city for a couple of years and visited many times in the years before and after her local school days.

“We just felt when we were coming to Fort Dodge, it was like coming to heaven,” she said.

Her life story, in which the city plays a prominent role, is recounted in a biography written by her daughter, Andrea Lex, who was once a reporter for The Daily Freeman Journal in Webster City. It’s called “A Visionary’s Road Map Louise Moede Lex.”

Andrea and Louise Lex donated a copy of the book to the Fort Dodge Public Library Wednesday morning.

“I have always said to people that my parents are larger than life,” Andrea Lex said.

She added that her mother has always been her role model.

“It’s been a journey of love,” she said of writing the book.

She said writing the book took about five years, and working with Janice Harbaugh at Raspberry Ridge Publishing in Jefferson to get it published took another three years.

The book is a biography of her mother, but there is much in it that will appeal to a broad reading audience, according to Andrea Lex. She said the book touches on the subjects of equality, justice, feminism, religion (Louise Lex’s father was a Congregationalist minister), and nursing plus the history of the Midwest, the Great Depression and World War II.

Louise Lex said she is pleased with her biography.

“The writing almost pops up because it is so clear,” she said.

Louise Lex was born Dec. 3, 1929, to the Rev. Otto F. Moede and Anna Moede in Lake City, Minnesota.

Anna Moede, the daughter of Jacob and Kate Etzel, was born in Fort Dodge. The Etzels lived in a house at 1303 Eighth Ave. S. that is still standing, according to Louise Lex.

One of Anna Moede’s sisters, Minnie, married Bill Becker, who owned Becker Florists. When he died unexpectedly she took over the business.

Louise Lex said that as a child, she spent lots of time with the Becker’s sons, the late Bill Becker and Ed Becker. She said they were like brothers to her. She was on her way to visit Ed Becker after donating the book at the library.

Louise Lex graduated from high school in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, then earned a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She would later earn master’s and doctorate degrees.

While a university student, she met Louis Lex. They got married in 1954 and eventually adopted a daughter, Andrea, and a son, Louis John.

The book documents her life and career in which she lived in Wisconsin, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York and Iowa.