Butterfield, Verna Isabelle 1883-1934

BUTTERFIELD, MCELVANIA, DEE

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 4/29/2010 at 12:14:00

Obituary dated July 27, 1934

MRS. CHARLES L. BUTTERFIELD OF TAMA PASSES

Mrs. Charles L. Butterfield, one of Tama's good women, who before her marriage was Verna Isabelle Dee of Sheridan, passed away a few days ago in a Waterloo hospital. Mrs. Butterfield had not been well since she suffered a heart attack during August of 1933 while visiting in Colorado but her last illness was of short duration. She was to have undergone an operation but heart trouble caused her death before it could be performed.

Verna Isabelle Dee was the daughter of Henry Dee and Isabelle McElvania Dee. Her father was a native of Vermont, and her mother came as a child from Belfast, Ireland. She was born in Sheridan Center, Poweshiek county, Iowa, on January 10, 1883, and passed away while a resident of Tama, Iowa, on July 19, 1934, having reached the age of 51 years, 6 months and 9 days.

She received her education in the rural schools of Sheridan, and was reared to womanhood in that community.

On March 30, 1907, she was united in marriage with Charles Levy Butterfield at Sterling, Colo. At that time Mr. Butterfield was in partnership with Herbert H. Dee in operating a store in Haxtun, Colo.

Immeditely after their marriage, they began housekeeping on her father's farm a mile north of the Sheridan store in the Sheridan neighborhood south of Tama, Iowa. They farmed for 13 years, and then moved to Tama in 1920 when they built a residence on East Ninth street which has been the family home since.

To their union were born three children. A son died in infancy. Besides her husband, Mrs. Butterfield leaves a daughter, Miss Isabelle, who graduated from the Tama high school with the class of 1934, and a son, Donald, at home. Her death also is mourned by two brothers, Herbert H. Dee of Tama and Earl Dee of Sheridan. She was preceded in death by a brother, Fred Dee, and a sister, Bonnie Dee. Mrs. Butterfield's mother died 11 years ago, and her father was accidentally killed by a railroad train July 17, eight years ago.

At the age of 10 years she became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Sheridan and remained a devoted worker through life. She was president of the Sheridan Epworth League and was superintendent of the Sunday school. After moving to Tama, she retained a vital interest in the church of her girlhood, and became a member of the Tama Methodist church and was one of its most cherished and dependable members.

At the time of her death Mrs. Butterfield was general superintendent of the Sunday school of the Tama M.E. church. For several years she served as president of the Temple Guild of Tama, and for two years she was president of the Woman's Foreign Missionary society of the M.E. church at Tama.

In addition to her church activities, Mrs. Butterfield took an active part in the civic and social life of this community. She was a member of the Eastern Star of Tama, had served as chaplain of the chapter, and at the time of her death was treasurer of the chapter. She was a member of the Clover club. In the Parent-Teachers Association she was an earnest worker and at the time of her death was the association's vice president. The Civic Improvement League knew her as one of its most active members.

Possessed of those many fine qualities that make a woman all that a wife and mother can be, and a genuine homemaker, Mrs. Butterfield also was gifted with talents and qualities which enabled her to take so prominent a part in the civic and social life of the community. Every worthy cause undertaken by the community received her support and helpfulness. Her kindly disposition and charm of personality made her particularly useful in any organization work, and her keen insight into problems and cheerful attitude made her an advisor whose opinion was much in demand.

Her family, her friends, and her community received much from this good woman and the work she did will serve as an example to others for many years to come.

Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock from the Methodist Episcopal church in Tama, Rev. W.O. Eckler, pastor of the church, officiating.

Ben Jones sang, "God Will Take Care of You" and a quartet including William H. Malin, H.E. Fox, R.W. Adair and Jesse McKeen, sang "Face to Face." Mrs. C.S. Brice played the piano accompaniment for both selections.

Pallbearers were L.T. Fisher, Ralph Bramblett, Jesse Kauble, Merle Kensinger and W.H. Leonard of Tama and David Anthony of Sheridan. Interment was in the Sheridan cemetery.

Members of Tama Chapter, No. 424 Order of the Eastern Star attended the funeral in a body and officers of the chapter had charge of the services at the grave.

Ladies in charge of the flowers were Mrs. George Bogle, Mrs. Sherman Cobb, Mrs. Jesse Kauble and Mrs. W.W. Tenhoff and Mrs. F.L. Evans.

Those from a distance attending the funeral were Stanley Dee of Haxtun, Colo.; Mrs. Ida Dee, Grinnell; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Small, Mrs. Amelia Small and Miss Alcia McElvania of Cedar Rapids; Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Kuhn of Tipton; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lund of LaMoille, Ill.; Charles McElvania and daughter, Inez, of Alden, Ia.; Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Dee of Marengo; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dee and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lineweaver of Brooklyn and Frank Wolcott of Toledo. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gerbrecht of Vinton were here Saturday.