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LANGE, Cleyta Zoe (Gorkow) -- 1907-2011

LANGE, GORKOW, JONES

Posted By: IA GenWeb Volunteer
Date: 10/23/2011 at 14:33:44

Cleyta Zoe Lange

Cleyta Zoe Lange, 104, Monona, Iowa, died Friday, August 5, 2011, at Northgate Care Center, Waukon, Iowa. Cleyta was born on January 31, 1907 in Mederville, Iowa to Charles and Lorena (Jones) Gorkow. When Cleyta was very young the family moved to McGregor, Iowa where she finished her schooling and, in 1925, married Wesley Lange of Froelich, IA. Two sons were born to this union.

Cleyta and Wes lived on various rented farms. This included the Lange farm near Froelich, which they later purchased. Cleyta learned to live with no electricity, telephone, or inside plumbing. She learned to churn butter and hang it in the cistern to keep cold, to make soap and to take care of meat that was raised on the farm. She also learned to garden and raise baby chicks, both of which she loved.

In the first years she raised the baby chicks the old fashioned way, later buying them from a local hatchery. A job she found tedious was the shelling of seed corn after it had dried all winter. She also disliked leading a horse on the hay-fork, which was seasonal, and cleaning the cream separator, which had to be done every day. Other inconveniences were the mud roads in summer and the snow drifted roads in winter. Some friends called this "primitive living", others called it the "Good Ole Days!", but she said it was some of both.

Over the years Cleyta was a member of the Monona Woman's Club, a long-time member and district director for two years of the Monona Garden Club, a member of the Clayton County Fair Board and a member and chairperson of the Floral Department. As a member of Giard Church, she worked in the woman's department on local, district and conference levels. She was a charter member and first president of the Froelich U & I Club; which was a "spin-off" of the Farm Bureau Woman's Extension Service of which she was a township leader. She was also a member of various card clubs.

Cleyta loved giving small dinner parties, but celebrated family gatherings and holidays on a much larger scale. Her hobbies were table arrangements and 'dishes', which she accumulated over the years. Even as a child she loved china and crystal, often inheriting pieces from her aunts. She enjoyed reading for relaxation and greatly enjoyed listening to music from the big band era.

With great help from her neighbors, friends and family, Cleyta was able to remain in her home in Monona for many years after her husband's death. One month before her 100th birthday, she moved into assisted living where she lived until very recently.

Cleyta is survived by eight grandchildren: Michael (Carlean) Lange, San Antonio, TX; Beth (Tom) Kerndt, Waukon, IA; Deborah (Steve) Bilsky, Cottage Grove, WI; Douglas Lange, Madison, WI; Darcie (Gary) Olson, Milton, WI; Dawn (Steve) Barr, Madison, WI; Deidre (Jeff) Taylor, Madison, WI and Dan (Marie) Lange, DeForest, WI; daughter-in-law, Kathy Lange, Monona; She is also survived by a grand daughter-in-law Bonnie Lange, Farmersburg, IA, 24 great-grandchildren, many great-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, as well as, her special friends JoAnne Schadek, Madison, WI and Linda Bacon, Postville, IA.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wesley, her parents, her two sons, Duane and Lowell, her grandson, David Lange, her great-grandson, Dexter Lange, four sisters and three brothers.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 13, 2011, one hour before services at the church on Saturday.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, August 13, 2011, at 11 a.m. at Living Faith United Methodist Parish, Monona, Iowa. The Rev. Dennis Gilbert will officiate.

Burial will follow in Giard Cemetery, Giard, Iowa.

Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Monona, Iowa, is in charge of arrangements.

Extracted from a funeral brochure.


 

Clayton Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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