Eleanor Strawman 1861-1944

STRAWMAN, BEACH, SOPER, ELLIS

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 7/13/2020 at 08:30:34

January 13, 1944 - The Anamosa Journal

Funeral service for Mrs. Eleanor Strawman, 82, who died at her home in Anamosa Tuesday morning, following a stroke suffered Monday evening, was held at the Smykil funeral home this Thursday at 2:00 p.m.

Rev. J. K. Delahooke had charge of the service and was assisted by Rev. S. V. Williams, Mount Vernon. Burial was at Riverside cemetery.

Mrs. Strawman was born on a farm in Jones county on April 16, 1861. Surviving are her son, Clifford; a daughter, Mrs. Edgar Beach; a brother, Charles Soper and two sisters, Mrs. J. W. Ellis and Miss Jane Soper, Anamosa.

January 20, 1944 - The Anamosa Journal

Memorial service was conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday, at the Smykil Funeral home for Mrs. Eleanor Strawman, 82, by Rev. J. K. Delahooke, pastor of the Methodist church; Rev. S. V. William, Mount Vernon, speaking the memorial words.

Casket bearers were J. E. Remley, Roy D. Cooley, S. H. Ellison, Dr. B. F. Erb, Charles Tyler and George Fegan. Interment was at Riverside cemetery.

Mrs. Eleanor B. Strawman was born April 16, 1861, near Anamosa, and passed away at her home here Tuesday, Jan. 11, 1944, at the age of 82 years. She was the daughter of George and Margery Soper, pioneer residents of Jones county.

She attended high school in Anamosa and also Mrs. Colonel Springer's academy for four years, and taught for several years in rural schools.

On Dec. 1, 1882, she was married to David Melvin Strawman who preceded her in death in 1935.

Mrs. Strawman was a member of the Equal Rights club, Civic club and League of Women Voters, pioneering for woman's suffrage and was county chairman when that goal was reached. She was regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution and Worthy Matron of the Eastern Star.

She was the only woman to serve on the Anamosa city council, and did much for the betterment of park and city. As a charter member of the Concord Round Table, she held all its various offices.

Mrs. Strawman promoted the County Federation of Woman's clubs and was its first chairman, also chairman of the fifth district and national delegate to the general federation meeting at Los Angeles and Atlantic City. For eight years she was County Woman's chairman of the Republican committee. She organized the Red Cross in Jones county during the first World war and was the first county chairman.

At a period in life when others would have been content to rest, she was busy writing a pageant depicting the early settlement of Anamosa, and managed its production for Iowa's Centennial in this city in 1938. The next year, as historian of the Daughters of the American Revolution she broadcast over WMT the story of the town and of the city library.

Her deepest interest was in the work of her church. As a Sunday school teacher she began in girlhood and continued throughout her life. She was superintendent of the Sunday school for six years and was diligent in promoting county Sunday school work and the cause of temperance. She was secretary and president of the local and district Home and Foreign Missionary societies and was awarded by the conference a lifetime membership in the Home Missionary society for her 50 years of service. She taught the Bible for seven years to the women inmates of the Reformatory.

She is survived by her son, Clifford, a daughter, Mrs. Elsa Beach, three grandchildren and a foster son, Alfred; also by her brother, Charles Soper, and two sisters, Mrs. J. W. Ellis and Miss Jane Soper, all of Anamosa.