Emily Ora Woolsey

May 10, 1989 — August 11, 2024

Service Details

Emily Ora Woolsey, 35, passed away on August 11, 2024.

Emily was born on May 10, 1989, to Gary Smith and Penny (Lichty) Kibbee in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She graduated from Hudson High School in 2007 and moved to Des Moines shortly thereafter to attend Drake University. Emily began working in the restaurant industry at that time, starting off as a server at Buffalo Wild Wings and working her way up to general manager at their Ankeny location. She later worked as a manager at Jethro’s BBQ (Southside) in 2020 before being hired as a road rep for Iowa Beverage in 2022 and Revolution Brewing in 2024. She met her husband, Nick, while working at Buffalo Wild Wings in 2015 and were married three years later at the top of the Sphere in a beautiful ceremony in Las Vegas. They had their first child together, Harper, in 2017.

Emily was an incredibly devoted wife, mother, sister, and friend – always lifting the spirits of those around her and lighting up every room she walked into with her wit and positivity. She was very active and embraced many hobbies including powerlifting, biking, running 5Ks, attending festivals, cooking, and checking out new restaurants and breweries.

Above all, Emily treasured the time she got to spend with her family and valued making special memories with those she loved. She especially cherished the moments with her children (Harper, Brylee, and Brenden) by cheering them on during all of their sporting events (softball, football, baseball, volleyball, basketball, and tennis). She also supported her brother, Paul, a talented musician, by attending every performance of his that she could.

Emily’s career in the restaurant industry was incredibly well-suited for her personality and skill set; she loved bringing people together to celebrate life’s milestones or simply to enjoy being in each others’ company over a great meal. This made her an absolute stand out in the Des Moines restaurant industry for 17 years.

Emily was fierce and dedicated in every aspect of her life; her determination and mindset were always to go above and beyond. She found a great community of friends through her dedication at the gym – always being the best hype-person to motivate and encourage others to reach their goals. Nothing could stop Emily. She once broke her pinky, but was back at the gym the next week lifting – even though it was with just one arm! She will always be remembered for being fierce, witty, strong, loving, caring, and up for a good challenge. Emily was truly the best mom, wife, daughter, and sister that anyone could ask for.

Emily is survived by her husband, Nick Woolsey; her children, Harper, Brenden, and Brylee; her parents, Penny (Wayne) Kibbee and Gary Smith; her brother, Paul; and a host of other relatives and many special friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, August 23, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 22nd Street Barbell; 3129 NW Prairie Lane, Des Moines, Iowa, where Emily spend much of her time.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the family to establish a college fund for her daughter, Harper. - GoFundMe in honor of Emily.


Condolences may be expressed at www.Hamiltonsfuneralhome.com.

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