Rowena Elizabeth (Lewis) Hammans (2012)

BERRY, GIBBS, HAMMANS, KRAMER, LEWIS

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 9/3/2012 at 22:06:28

Winterset Madisonian, Winterset, Iowa
August 29, 2012

ROWENA HAMMANS, CRESTON

Rowena Hammans, 95, of Creston, formerly of Lorimor, died Monday, Aug. 20, 2012, at the Mercy Hospice of Johnston. 

A funeral service was held Saturday, Aug. 25, at First United Methodist Church in Creston, with Pastor Jim Morris officiating. Burial was at the Lorimor Cemetery, south of Lorimor. Memorials are to be established. 

Rowena Elizabeth (Lewis) Hammans was born Jan. 12, 1917, to Verna Estella (Moffitt) Lewis and John Clyde Lewis on their farm at Kasson, Iowa, Monroe Township, in Madison County. Rowena attended church and rural school through eighth grade at Kasson School, then graduated from Lorimor High School in May 1934 with a Normal Training Teaching Certificate.

Rowena taught for three years in rural schools before falling in love with Fred Loveland Hammans and secretly marrying on May 2, 1937. After living separately for a while, they lived on their family’s century farm near Lorimor for 37 years where Fred farmed and Rowena taught school. She also attended Creston Junior College earning her two-year degree in education. She then taught in Peru, Afton, Thayer, Lorimor and East Union. Rowena continued studies at Drake University and Iowa State University, but discontinued working toward her four-year degree and quit teaching in order to help Fred on their farm.

They retired and moved to Creston in the fall of 1975. Fred worked as a county supervisor and Rowena worked part-time in a “Just Kids” store and tutored students. She was a member of belonged to Morning Circle of the First United Methodist Church, where she was a member. She was also a member of Elzevir Reading Circle, Thursday Bridge Club and Lakeshore Golf and Country Club. She belonged to the Lorimor Study Club and two Bridge Clubs.She and Fred served as Worthy Matron and Patron of Venus, Chapter 295, Order of the Eastern Star. 

She is survived by a son, Larry Hammans of Omaha, Neb; a daughter, Rebecca Lynn Hammans of Johnston; six grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and a brother, John Claude Lewis of Fort Meyers, Fla. 

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Sharon; her husband, Fred; half-brothers, Milo Berry and Herbert Berry; and half-sisters, Ada Gibbs and Anna Kramer. 

Arrangements are being handled by Powers Funeral Home, Creston. Online condolences can be made under the obituary category at powersfh.com.
________________________

Powers Funeral Home
Creston, Iowa
August 25, 2012

Rowena Hammans, 95, of Creston, formerly of Lorimor, passed away Monday, August 20, 2012 at the Mercy Hospice of Johnston. Funeral service will be 11:30 a.m. Saturday, August 25, 2012 at First United Methodist Church 400 N. Elm in Creston. Pastor Jim Morris will officiate. Burial will be at the Lorimor Cemetery, south of Lorimor. Family will receive friends from 10:30 to 11:30 service time at the First United Methodist Church in Creston. Memorials are to the Lorimor Methodist Church. Online condolences can be made under the obituary category at www.powersfh.com.

Rowena Elizabeth (Lewis) Hammans was born January 12, 1917 to Verna Estella (Moffitt) Lewis and John Clyde Lewis on their farm at Kasson, Iowa, Monroe Township, in Madison County. Rowena attended church and rural school through eighth grade at Kasson School then graduated from Lorimor High School in May 1934 with a Normal

Training Teaching Certificate. However, Rowena had to wait a year until she was old enough to teach at age 18 years.

Rowena taught for three years in rural schools before falling in love with Fred Loveland Hammans and secretly marrying on May 2, 1937. They lived separately for a while, but soon knowledge of their marriage caused her to lose her job to a male breadwinner. So they moved in together and lived on their family's century farm near Lorimor for thirty-seven years where Fred farmed and Rowena taught school.

Rowena attended night and weekend classes along with a couple of summer schools, graduating valedictorian from Creston Junior College earning her two-year degree in Education. She then taught in Peru, Afton, Thayer, Lorimor, and East Union. Rowena continued her studies at Drake University and Iowa State University. After her junior year, when their children had both graduated from college, she believed it necessary to discontinue working toward her four-year degree and to quit teaching in order to help Fred on their farm.

They retired and moved to Creston in the fall of 1975. Fred worked as a county supervisor and Rowena worked part-time in a "Just Kids" store and tutored students. She belonged to Morning Circle and Bible Study of the First United Methodist Church where she was a member. Also, she belonged to Elzevir Reading Circle, Thursday Bridge Club and Lakeshore Golf and Country Club. She and Fred were active in civic and school activities in Lorimor and served as Worthy Matron and Patron of Venus, Chapter 295, Order of the Eastern Star. She belonged to the Lorimor Study Club and two Bridge Clubs.

Survivors include Rowena's son, Larry (wife Christine) Hammans of Omaha, Neb. their three daughters, Beth (husband George) Brownell of Neenah, Wis. with children Louise and Fritz, Heather (husband Matt) Ahrens of Darnestown, Md. with children Jack, Teddy and Frances, and Meredith (husband Tom) Wotka of Cape Cod, Mass. with children Tommy, George, and Peter; and Rowena's daughter, Rebecca Lynn Hammans and husband Bertrand Williams of Johnston, Ia. have three children; Justin Ehm and wife Krista of Cedar Rapids, Ia. with daughter Ruby; Sharon and husband Chris Awadalla of Denver, Colo. with daughter Charlotte; and Molly Ehm with Ted Wilson of Sarasota, Fla. Rowena has one living sibling, her brother John Claude Lewis of Fort Meyers, Fla. She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter Sharon, husband Fred, half-brothers Milo Berry and Herbert Berry and half-sisters Ada Gibbs and Anna Kramer.

Link to Gravestone Photo
 

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