Emma Mabel (See) Stewart Ganfield Ransom (1971)

GANFIELD, GARLING, GILBERT, HERRING, RANSOM, RIEKE, RUTH, SEE, STEWART, WILSON

Posted By: Kent Transier
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:03:26

The South Benton Star Press
Blairstown, Iowa
Thursday, January 28, 1971
Page 10, Columns 6, 7 & 8

Mabel Ransom Died Jan. 21 in Cedar Rapids

Emma Mabel Ransom was born Mar. 11, 1885 at Peru, Iowa and passed away Jan. 21, 1971 at St. Luke’s hospital in Cedar Rapids. She had been hospitalized since Dec. 30 with a broken hip and death resulted from complications after hip surgery.

She was one of four children born to Henry and Florence See of Peru, Iowa where she spent her youth and attended the school in this small Madison county town. There she was baptized into the Christian church by immersion. In 1901 she was married to Will Stewart of Peru. When this marriage was dissolved she and her small son John moved to Des Moines where she worked for sometime at the overall factory.

Later they moved to Panora, Iowa where she secured a position as telephone operator. It was there she met and married Clay W. Ganfield in 1910. After several moves they finally settled in Van Horne where Mr. Ganfield was editor of the weekly paper. Two daughters were born there, Florence Venecia who died at the age of 11 months and Ruth Mabel. In 1916 they moved to Blairstown as Mr. Ganfield had purchased the Blairstown Press, another weekly paper. In 1918 he died of complications from influenza.

In 1920 she married N. C. Ransom whose wife had also fallen victim to the widespread flu epidemic leaving him with 5 children, and so together they made a home for their 7 children, building it on love, devotion and faith. They operated the Corner cafe located on the corner where the Me Too store now stands. Since Mr. Ransom was a signalman for the Northwestern Railroad and gone all day, Mrs. Ransom was responsible for the successful daytime activities of the cafe. They sold the cafe in 1928 and a year later she took the job as chief operator of the Blairstown Telephone office which she held until 1940. She had many girls over the years as her assistant operators and she loved them all.

They purchased their present home in 1931. Mr. Ransom, who had been in ill health for a number of years passed away in 1953. In the mid forties she and Mr. Ransom had opened their home to school teachers and she continued to do so after his death, always having one or two staying with her until the late sixties when ill health prevented her from doing so. She also was news editor of the Blairstown Press for many years.

She and Mr. Ransom were member of the Presbyterian church. She was also a member of the social circle now known as United Presbyterian Women. She belonged to the Order of Eastern Star having held many offices and had served in the East as worthy matron, In 1970 she received her certificate and pin honoring her as a 50 year member of OES.

Mrs. Ransom had many hobbies, collecting antiques, poetry and sewing, but her most important hobby was people. She lived people and wanted them to love her. She trusted her Heavenly Father and talked to Him daily. She had read her Bible through many times, memorizing favorite passages of scripture. Her faith was an inspiration to her family and friends.

In addition to her husbands she was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Venecia Ruth, a brother, Burl E. See, a daughter, Florence Venecia and a grandson, Skipper Rieke. She leaves to mourn one brother, Homer See of Peru, Ia.; a son John R. Stewart of Des Moines, a daughter, Mrs. Howard (Ruth) Rieke of Blairstown; four step-daughters, Mildred Ransom and Mrs. Carl Wilson of Blairstown; Mrs. Walter Herring of Belle Plaine; Mrs. Harvey Gilbert of Waterloo; and a step-son Harley C. Ransom of Cedar Rapids; three grandchildren and nine step grandchildren; three great grandchildren and 11 step great grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Burl E. See of Peru, Ia., and a number of nieces and nephews.

“Grief not far this dear one
Her final struggle is o’er
And she is now rejoicing
With loved ones gone before!”

Memorial for Mrs. Mabel Ransom, 85, was Sunday Jan. 24, 1971 at 2 p.m. at the United Presbyterian church with the Rev. Ralph Walty officiating. Organist was Dixie Fiester and Harold Andrews was soloist.

Casket carriers were her grandsons John W. Stewart, Gene Herring. Robert Wilson, Roger Rieke, Russell Garling and Richard Ransom. Interment was in Pleasant Hill cemetery, Blairstown, with Peffers Halverson funeral home in charge. – (Obituary written by Mrs. Ransom’s daughter, Mrs. Howard Rieke.)

Memorial
 

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