Ellen Fenn 1908 - 2000

FENN, PETERSON, MILLS, SCHUMACHER

Posted By: A.M.W. (email)
Date: 3/12/2006 at 13:12:06

Ellen Rebecca Fenn, 94, of Washington died Friday, August 1, 2003 at the Halcyon House Health Care Center in Washington. Funeral service will be held at 1:30 PM Tuesday, August 5, 2003 at the Jones - Eden Funeral Home in Washington with the Pastor Brett Best officiating. Interment will take place in the Elm Grove Cemetery. Visitation will begin after 12:00 PM Monday at the funeral home. The family will receive friends from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM prior to services on Tuesday. A General Memorial has been established in memory of Ellen.

Ellen was born December 15, 1908 in Henry County, Iowa the daughter of Jesse and Sarah (Peterson) Mills. Mrs. Fenn was reared in the Quaker Faith. She received her Normal Training Teacher's Certificate in Mount Pleasant, Iowa High School and taught country school prior to her marriage. On December 3, 1929 she married Prior L. Fenn in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. She and her husband lived in Keokuk for three years before settling in Washington in early 1933. In 1945 she and her husband opened the Massey-Harris farm machinery business in Washington and together they operated the business until 1962 when they sold the business to their two sons. In 1965 she and her husband moved to a farm East of Washington. She was a free lance writer and photographer. Her first book of poetry - "A Star Rushed By" was published in 1963. Photos from her dark room coupled with her ease of words gained her national attention. She was a charter member of the Iowa City Branch of the American League of American Pen Women and a charter member of the local group of poetry writers "The Word Weavers." She was also a member of the Log Cabin Questers #455 of Washington County. She served as a columnist for three years for the Iowa Retail Equipment Associations monthly period publication. Mrs. Fenn held membership in served as State President of Composers and Authors of America; a chapter president of Iowa City Branch of American Pen Women; and president of the local Word Weavers. She was included in the London "Two Thousand Women of Achievement" in 1972. In 1974 she published the book "Cooking With Ellen" and Cornbread and Calico in 1978. She was a member of the American Society of Writers in 1981. More than 200 publications have used words from her pen and photos from her camera.

She is survived by 1 son; Kenneth Fenn of Washington, Iowa, 1 daughter; Marolyn Schumacher of Beloit, Wisconsin, 9 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, 1 brother; Gilbert Mills of Washington and many nieces and nephews. Ellen was preceded in death by her parents, husband in 1985, 1 son; Terry, 4 brothers and 2 sisters.