Carolena (Carlson) Zeliadt (1935)

ZELIADT, CARLSON, STILES, ANDERSON, BAKER, BOLIN

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 4/10/2007 at 10:06:43

Earlham Echo - May 1935
Earlham, Iowa

OBITUARY

Carolena Carlson was born in Westmanland Providence, Sweden, February 17, 1858. In gradually failing health the past few years, she suffered a slight stroke and peacefully passed from this life in her seventy-eighth year at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ralph K. Stiles, Billings, Montana, where she had gone to spend the winter. She is survived by six children: Ernest Adolph of Denver, Colorado; Selma Elvira (Mrs. Justus Anderson) of Escalon, California; Hilma Agnes (Mrs. Morris Baker) of St. Paul, Minnesota; Clifford Gustave of Omaha, Nebraska; Clara Mae (Mrs. Ralph K. Stiles) of Billings, Montana; and Ivan Elmer of Norwalk, Iowa. Two daughters, Minnie and Hilda, died in infancy. In addition to a host of friends, she also leaves to mourn her going, thirteen grandchildren and a younger sister, Mrs. Charles Bolin, of Oakland, California.

As an ambitious young woman of twenty, Carolena Carlson emigrated from Sweden to the United States in 1878. Living for short periods in New York State and in Chicago, she then came to Des Moines where she was later joined by a sister, a brother, and her mother. On March 4, 1882 she was married to Gustave Adolph Zeliadt and with him moved immediately to a pioneer farm home in Adams Township, Dallas County, Iowa, where she reared her family and lived continuously until the death of her husband in November 1909. The following year she moved to Earlham. In 1918, she established her residence with her daughter Clara at 2219 East 13th St., Des Moines, where she made her home until December 1934.

Early in her girlhood Carolena Zeliadt affiliated with the Baptist Denomination and was a member of the Baptist Church near Panther Creek until its abandonment. On moving to Earlham she joined the Society of Friends and later transferred her membership to the Des Moines Meeting. The long and active life of this good mother may be briefly characterized as one of devotion and service to her family and to any friend of neighbor who was in need. She was happiest when she could be of assistance to others.

Interment was beside the husband and father in the McKibben cemetery located on a hill overlooking the farm home where she lived and labored so many years.