Sanow, Elaine Marie 1919-2008

SANOW, GALLES, SHEA

Posted By: Mary Holub, volunteer (email)
Date: 10/6/2008 at 14:36:26

From: Le Mars Daily Sentinel, October 6, 2008

Elaine Marie Sanow, 88, of Remsen, went peacefully to be with her Lord Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008, at Happy Siesta Health Care Center in Remsen. She was not alone, her daughter was by her side. She died of kidney failure.

Elaine entered this world on Oct. 22, 1919, in rural Remsen, to proud and loving parents, Laurence and Martha (Galles) Shea. She was raised in the Remsen area and always loved it, so she never moved. She was educated at St. Mary Catholic School in Remsen.

On Nov. 16, 1942, in St. Mary Catholic Church in Remsen she married her one and only love, William M. Sanow. They lived and farmed south of Remsen until they moved into Remsen in September 1969.

Besides her family, other things that kept her busy were being a nurse's aid at Floyd Valley Hospital in Le Mars and Happy Siesta and teaching first grade CCD class many years ago. She was a cook for senior citizens and volunteered to bake bread at Happy Siesta for the Auxiliary.

She had been a resident of Happy Siesta since March 11, 1999. William died March 13, 1999. She enjoyed Saturday bingo, Wednesday morning crossword puzzles, folding towels, Red Hat Society, Garden Club, and visiting with family and friends over a cup of coffee. She was a marvelous cook.

The two most important things in her life were God and providing love and care to her family.

She was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Remsen, church Guild, Christian Mothers, and the past Catholic Daughters of America. She was a past member of the VFW Auxiliary.

The ones who gratefully shared her life and are left to honor her memory are, her children, Allen and his wife Pam of Forsyth, Mo., Gene and his wife Karen of Vermillion, S.D., Marg Sanow, Duane and his wife Jeanne, and Deb and her husband Chuck Herman, all of Remsen; a daughter-in-law, Rose Ann and her husband Bruce Lennon of Akron; 14 grandchildren, Heidi Sanow, Nanette Sanow, Laurie (Ron) Rossi, Lisa (Thad) Manning, Nicole (Josh) Bennett, Dawn (Mike) Poss, DeEtta (Chris) Zwart, Krista (Nate) Nelson, Kim (Omar) Hicks, Brian (Barb) Sanow, Angie (Brad) Jochum, Adam (Ryann) Sanow, Michael Herman, Katie (Anthony) Jungers; 22 great-grandchildren; her sisters and their husbands, Clara and Jim Kayser, Carol and Clyde Schuttpelz all of Le Mars, and Lois Pedersen of Remsen; her brothers and their wives, Paul and Shirley Shea of Marcus, Larry Shea of Casa Grande, Ariz.; her sisters-in-law, Clover Sanow and Velva Shea, both of Remsen; and many nieces and nephews. She was also Grandma to nine foreign exchange students, Martina, Lieven and Anne from Germany, Yuki, Aya and Ayami from Japan, Karin and Robert from Sweden and Na-Na from South Korea.

She left us to be with her parents; a son, James A. Sanow; a granddaughter, Wendy Sanow; her brothers, Gerald, Walter and Omer Shea; brothers-in-law, Lester and Dale Sanow; sisters-in-law, Theresa, Beverly and Arlene Shea; and her furry companions, Mike, Cotton, Dobie, Mitzie, Mollie and Muffy.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary Catholic Church in Remsen with the Rev. James Tigges officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery in Remsen. Friends may call after 2 p.m. today (Monday), at the Fisch Funeral Home in Remsen, where there will be a rosary at 3 p.m. by St. Mary Guild and Christian Mothers, and and a vigil prayer service at 7:30 p.m.

Casketbearers will be Heidi Sanow, Nanette Sanow, Lisa Manning, Krista Nelson, Kim Hicks, Brian Sanow, Adam Sanow and Michael Herman. Honorary bearers will be Dawn Poss, DeEtta Zwart, Angie Jochum and Nicole Bennett.