Ross, Laura E. 1906-2004

ROSS, CARMEN, EGGEN

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 4/28/2009 at 15:49:33

WESTFIELD, Iowa -- Laura Elizabeth Ross, 97, of Westfield passed away Sunday, March 14, 2004, at Akron City Convalescent Care Center in Akron, Iowa.

Services will be 3 p.m. Thursday at Westfield Congregational Church, with the Rev. Steve Jewett officiating. Visitation with the family present will be 6 to 8 p.m. today at Schroeder Funeral Home in Akron.

Laura was born April 23, 1906, in Crofton, Neb., to Herman and Bertha (Eggen) Carmen. In 1921 they moved to Laurel, Neb. When she was 16, she came to Akron to live with her aunt Edith and started doing housework for the people in town.

She met her husband, Guy Ross, and the couple were united in marriage on March 5, 1924. To this union four children were born. In 1942 they moved to their farm near Westfield, which had been her home ever since. They celebrated their golden anniversary in 1974.

In 1946 she was one of the first hot lunch cooks at Westfield School. She took in washing and ironing and also cleaned for several people. Her most enjoyable job was running the melon stand for Morse's Market each summer for more than 20 years.

In her free time she loved to cook and bake and no one went hungry at her house. She also enjoyed playing cards and fishing. She loved cats and took care of many strays around the town of Westfield.

She is survived by a daughter, Velma Knudsen of Akron; two sisters, Lucille Schwarzenback of Wayne, Neb., and Frances Smith of Hood River, Ore.; a sister-in-law, Luella Carmen of Laurel; two daughters-in-law, Marion Ross of Westfield, and Betty Odle of Lebanon, Mo.; a son-in-law, Harold Vrana of Westfield; 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, three sisters, two brothers, two sons, a daughter, a son-in-law, twin granddaughters and a great-grandson.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal, part of the Darrell E. Obituary Collection