Wozny, Eleanor 1921-2013

WOZNY, SWACKER, STARKEY, GAYLORD, FARRIS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 2/11/2014 at 16:11:08

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register
March 7, 2013

ELEANOR WOZNY

Eleanor Wozny, 92, of Grinnell died March 2, 2013, at her home at the Mayflower Community.

A funeral mass was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 6, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Grinnell with Rev. Nick Adam, officiating. Organist was Marilyn Kriegel accompanied by the St. Mary's Choir. Pallbearers were Geoffrey and Chris Wozny, Richard Gaylord, Jon, Justin and Josh Sadler and Ryan McGaffey. Honorary bearers were Leroy Calvin, Hugh German, Virgil Groth, Larry Jansen, Greg Mielak and Wally Walker. Burial will be in Hazelwood Cemeetry in Grinnell.

Visitation was held from 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell, with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 Tuesday evening.

A Rosary was said 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Smith Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Mayflower Human Needs Fund or St. Mary's Parish Foundation.

Eleanor was born January 16, 1921, in Lancaster County, Nebraska, the daughter of Frank and Louise Swacker Starkey. She was raised in Columbus, Nebraska, and was a 1938 graduate of Columbus High School. Following her education, she was employed as a secretary for the National Youth Association, a program formed by President Franklyn Roosevelt's administration.

On March 9, 1940, she was united in marriage with Theodore Joseph Wozny, in Waverly, Nebraska. The couple lived in Columbus, Albion, Madison and Kearney, Nebraska and Columbia, Missouri while she raised her family. They moved to Grinnell in 1958. While in Grinnell she was secretary of the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce for five years and was the first woman to serve the Chamber as secretary in the State of Iowa. She was a country-wide sales manager for Stadiums Unlimited, Inc., and her sales included government purchase for seating on the White House lawn and football seating at the University of Missouri. She was later manager of the Gentelco Federal Credit Union where she served on the Board of Directors, Before retiring, Eleanor was the bookkeeper at Oakland Acres Golf Club in Grinnell.

Eleanor was a member of the Grinnell Woman's Club, serving as president in the late 1960s; a member of the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce which included the Ambassador Club, Legislative and Industrial Committees. She briefly served on the Grinnell City Council in the mid-1980s. She was also a member of the Business and Professional Women's Cub, serving on their Budget/Finance committee, and the Soroptimists Club. She was a volunteer at Grinnell Regional Medical Center and served on the Board of Directors for the United Fund and Grinnell Country Club. She also served on the Board of Directors at St. Mary's Parish Foundation and was a member of the Altar & Rosary Society and Church United Women.

Eleanor was an accomplished bridge player and avid golfer. Her interests included researching family histories and playing the organ. She enjoyed vacationing with family and friends, which included trips throughout the United States, in the Caribbean and Europe.

Survivors include four children, Mary Kay Wozny of Columbia, Missouri, Geoffrey (Elizabeth) Wozny of Stamford, Connecticut, Timothy (Roxanne) Wozny of Kellogg and Jeanne (Richard) Gaylord of Saratoga Springs, New York; five grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ted on March 2, 1983; one sister, Maxine Farris; and one brother, Frank Starkey, Jr.