Israel, Marian Isabelle Walker

ISRAEL, WALKER, MARTIN

Posted By: Bill Rathbun (email)
Date: 8/26/2003 at 20:02:27

August 26, 2003

Marian Isabelle Walker Israel, 93, of Eldon died Sunday, July 27, 2003, at Parkview Care Center.

The body has been cremated. No public service is currently planned. Eastern Star services will be held at a later time, jointly with a Masonic service for her late husband Hugh Israel.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her name to the Masonic Scholarship fund. Memorials may be mailed to Raymond Funeral Home, 112 W. Burlington Ave., Fairfield 52556. The funeral home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Israel was born April 24, 1910, in Chicago, Ill., the daughter of George W. and Della Mansfield Walker. She married Hugh Rock Israel Aug. 27, 1928, in Reno, Nev.

When Mrs. Israel was 2, her family moved from Chicago to Portland, Ore., then to Palo Alto, Calif., where she attended school. She was active in music, drama, theater and dance in high school at Palo Alto High.

She graduated from business school in San Francisco, Calif., and then went to work for her father's law practice, while her husband attended college. They made their home in Palo Alto, but in 1935, they moved to Iowa, first to Eldon then to the family farm outside of Floris, on what is now the Pioneer Ridge Nature Conservancy. They remained there until 1945 when they returned to Eldon to help care for Mr. Israel's aging parents and to take over the family business, Lon H. Israel and Son General Store.

In her later years, she and her husband spent their winters in South Texas, where they continued to be active in retail.

Mrs. Israel was fluent in Spanish.

She was a past worthy matron and was a more-than-50-year member of the Arbor Vitae Chapter 327 Order of Eastern Star; a member of the Order of the Rebecca of Eldon; a member of the Elizabeth Ross Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution; past mother advisor of the Order of Rainbow for Girls, which she was active in organizing in Eldon; a Girl Scout troop leader, which she was active in organizing in Eldon; and the Bird Club of Ottumwa.

She was a member of the Methodist church in Eldon.

Survivors include one daughter, Susan Martin and her husband Daniel of Lyons, Colo.; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her brother George Walker.

Courtesy of Fairfield Daily Ledger Inc.