CROSS, Celestine T. "Sally" 1917-2010
CROSS, SHEEHY, STEVENS
Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 4/22/2011 at 20:22:51
[Waterloo Courier, Tuesday, November 9, 2010]
WATERLOO — Celestine T. "Sally" Cross, 93, of Waterloo, formerly of Ottumwa, died Sunday, Nov. 7, at Ravenwood Nursing & Rehab Center, Waterloo.
She was born Oct. 12, 1917, in Ottumwa, the daughter of Lawrence Stevens and Catherine Sheehy Stevens. She graduated from Ottumwa Heights Academy and then Ottumwa Heights College in 1937. She graduated salutatorian in the first graduating class of Marycrest College, Davenport, in 1941, with a bachelor's degree in social work. On Nov. 15, 1941, she married Joseph H. Cross in Ottumwa. They returned from their honeymoon to the news of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As a member of the "Greatest Generation," she prayed her husband through combat in France and Germany and then preparation with his unit in California for the planned invasion of Japan.
While raising her two boys, she was a volunteer for many different efforts. She was a den mother for Cub Scouts, she was president of the school's parent-teacher organization, and she headed the organization that put on a major fall festival to raise money for the parish school. She participated in all kinds of school activities.
Sally worked for many years at the C.E. Cross Co. in Ottumwa, a family business, with her husband and his parents, selling women's clothing.
Sally worked as a social worker for more than 30 years for such agencies as Wapello County Social Welfare, the old Iowa Board of Control and Iowa Social Services. She finished her career as a private certified adoption investigator for people doing private adoptions. In this role, she served as the "fairy godmother" to more than 300 newborn babies who she saw through to adoption. She was the originator of the idea of "Iowa's Child" on Waterloo's Channel 7, KWWL, which publicizes children waiting for adoption.
After retirement from social work, she volunteered extensively and received the Waterloo Mayor's Volunteer Award recognizing more than 6,000 hours of volunteer work in the community. Her volunteer work included working for the Red Cross with people who were dealing with grief over a newly deceased spouse. She worked with the Covenant Medical Center Auxiliary in all of its volunteer efforts.
Her faith was a central part of her life. She was a very active member of St. Edward Catholic Church, Waterloo. Among other activities, she was a lector and RCIA instructor, an extraordinary minister and took communion to those who were homebound. She served on the St. Edward's Parish Council for four terms and was chairwoman for six years. She worked on the parish committee, regarding visits to the sister parish. She was particularly proud of being the sponsor of the resolution that pledges 1 percent of the parish's revenue to charity.
Survived by two sons, Steven C. (Moira) Cross of Minneapolis and Thomas E. (Jill) Cross of Maple Grove, Minn.; former daughter-in-law, Connie Cross of Pella; and five grandchildren, Amanda of Seattle, Patrick and Andrew of Minneapolis and Jason and Andrew of St. Cloud, Minn.
Preceded in death by her parents; both sisters, Catherine and Elsie; and her husband, who died Dec. 1, 1982.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Edward Catholic Church, 1423 Kimball Ave., Waterloo, with interment beside her husband in Mount Olivet Cemetery. A luncheon will then be held in the basement of the church.
Public visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Hagarty-Waychoff-Grarup Funeral Service on West Ridgeway, where there will be a 4 p.m. rosary and a 7 p.m. vigil service.
Memorials may be directed to St. Edward's Catholic Church or Columbus High School.
Black Hawk Obituaries maintained by Karen De Groote.
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