MALCOM, Harriet Eileen

MALCOM, RHODE, INMAN, OKERBLOOM

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 5/23/2021 at 19:47:47

Sidney Argus Herald
Sidney, Fremont Co., Iowa
October 16, 2014

Harriet Eileen (Rhode) Malcom
February 10, 1922-October 19, 2014

Funeral services for Harriet Malcom, 92, of Tabor, IA, held October 22, the Crawford-Marshall Funeral Chapel in Tabor. The Rev. Tom Clark officiated. Mrs. Malcom of rural Tabor died October 19, 2014, at Tabor (IA) Manor following a few months of complications associated with diverticulitis.

Beth Blackburn was in charge of memory book, and Angie Alley and Teresa Needham were in charge of flowers. Musical selections included "God, Who Touches Earth with Beauty" and "in The Garden" by Dr. K. D. Rodabaugh" and "Amazing Grace" by Connor Alley. Pallbearers were Mike Malcom, David Malcom, Steve Malcom, Alex Malcom, Adam Malcom, Nathan Okerbloom and Neal Okerbloom. Interment was in the Tabor Cemetery. Memorials are directed to the Tabor Public Library.

Harriet Eileen Rhode Malcom was born February 10, 1922, to Mildred Chantry Rhode and John L. Rhode at the Rhode home in Tabor, IA. She lived there until her marriage. She lived there with her fathers' two unmarried sisters and his parents, for a time. The Rhode home now belongs to her granddaughter, Angela Malcom Alley and family.

In 1939, she graduated high school from Tabor Public Schools, where she had started in first grade. Following high school, she competed a summer course at the American Institute of Business in Des Moines on a scholarship. That year she began working for Dr. B. B. Miller in Tabor as his receptionist and worked at his office until marriage.

In 1941, she married Kenneth A. Malcom in Maryville, MO, in a civil ceremony and they moved east of Tabor to the "little house" on his parent's farm. Her husband was inducted into the U. S. Army in May of 1942, and the couple was stationed in Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Washington and California. Her oldest child, Donald Allen, was born that year also in her parent's home.

After her husband’s discharge from the service, they came home to farm and raised livestock with his family. Three more children were born to the family, Roger Dean, Barbara Lynn and Larry Charles. After her children were gone from the home, she went to work in town at Reed Drug from 1968 until 1979 as the bookkeeper.

She belonged to the Edwin Todd Unit of the American legion Auxiliary, Twentieth Century Study Club, and the Social Neighbors Club. She was a member of the Congregational United Church of Christ of Tabor.

She loved gardening and the outdoors, playing cards and reading. She said she had read everything in the Tabor Library and started over, reading many books more than once.

She was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth; and infant son Charles; and a brother, Jonathan Rhode.

She is survived by her children, Don and Mary Malcom of Glenwood, IA. Roger and Penny Malcom of Tabor and Barbara and Dr. John Okerbloom of Council Bluffs, IA; 28 grandchildren, among them Teresa Malcom Needham (Lloyd), Michael Malcom (Lori), David Malcom (Carol) and Stephen Malcom (Emy), all of Glenwood, Mary Ann Halstead (Mark) of South Carolina and Ken Cousins (Leyla) of Washington, Angela Malcom Alley (Steve) Alex Malcom (Tracy), Adam Malcom (Cyndi), all of Tabor, and Nathan Okerbloom (Tina), Neal Okerbloom (Jamie, of Council Bluffs; and three great-grandchildren.

In addition, she is survived by a sister and brother-in-law, Marcia and Byron Inman of Tabor, and a brother, James Rhode of South Dakota; and other relatives.

submitted by
Novie White
01/12/2015