Elaine M. Bigbee, 08 Dec 1928 - 17 Oct 2016

BIGBEE, BLOCK, CHVALA, LOHSE

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 10/27/2016 at 15:42:53

Mrs. Elaine M. Bigbee
BORN: December 8, 1928
DIED: October 17, 2016
LOCATION: Grinnell, Iowa

Elaine M. Bigbee, 87, of Grinnell, died on Monday, October 17, 2016, at the Mayflower Health Care Center in Grinnell.

A memorial service will be held 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 21, 2016, at the Carmen Center of the Mayflower Community with Rev. Christine Tinker, chaplain of the Mayflower, officiating. Pianist will be Ann Buchmeier. Inurnment will be at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell.

Memorials may be directed to the Station Club House and sent in care of the Smith Funeral Home, P.O. Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112.

Elaine was born on December 8, 1928, at the family farm home near Hartwick, Iowa to Loren and Minnie Chvala Block. She attended rural school and graduated with the Class of 1945 from Hartwick High School. Following high school, she moved to Des Moines and worked for the National Screen Service and the American Optical Company.

On May 12, 1952, she was married to Norris D. Bigbee in Marengo, Iowa and to this union was born two children, Dale and Tracy. They operated a grain and livestock farm near Chelsea and Brooklyn. In 1964, they moved to Grinnell to make their home.

Elaine enjoyed dancing, shopping for bargains at Second Mile, collecting small antiques and dancing with Norris.

Survivors include her son, Dale Bigbee of Grinnell; two grandsons, Dustin Lohse of Seattle, Washington and Tyrel R. Lohse of Des Moines; her son-in-law, Kurt Lohse of Newton; and one nephew, Marty Block of Hartwick, IA.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one daughter, Tracy Lohse; and two brothers, Garlan and Vernard Block.

Smith Funeral Home
The Poweshiek County Chronicle Republican, 26 Oct 2016, p2