Bessie Clouser Gildersleeve (-2008)

GILDERSLEEVE, CLOUSER, RECORD, SHICKELL, RICE, ROBISON, LIQUIN

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 2/2/2008 at 19:05:06

THE STORY CITY HERALD, Story City, Story County, Iowa, Wednesday, January 23, 2008.

Bessie Clouser Gildersleeve, 104, of Gilbert, Iowa, died on Friday, Jan. 11, 2008 at Bethany Manor in Story City. Funeral services were held at the Bethany Manor Chapel on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008, at 1:30 p.m. with visitation from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 14. Burial was in the Gilbert Cemetery.

Bessie was the daughter of George and Nellie (Record) Clouser. She was born in the Champaign/Urbana area in Illinois and moved with her parents to a farm near Gilbert when she was 3 years old. She attended Gilbert schools and graduated in 1920. She then took a Normal Training course at what is now the University of Northern Iowa, and taught in country schools for 1-1/2 years. Bessie was married to John Gildersleeve on Jan. 3, 1923 and moved to the farm near Gilbert where she lived until moving to Bethany Manor in June of 2006. Bessie was a helpmate on the farm and active in the Gilbert Congregational Church (now Grace Bible Church) which she joined in 1922.

Surivivors include daughters, Ruth (Les) Shickell of Ames and Mildred Rice of Gilbert; a daughter-in-law, Jean Gildersleeve of Boone; a sister, Evelyn Harriman Robison of Stratford; 2 sisters-in-law, Leona Clouser of Madrid and Mildred Gildersleeve of Rochert, Minnesota; a brother-in-law, Dale Smith of Ames; 12 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren and 20 great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, John, her son, Lloyd, a granddaughter, Marla Gildersleeve Liquin; a grandson, John Benjamin Gildersleeve; four sisters and one brother. She leaves a host of family and friends to mourn her passing.

Memorials may be given to Grace Bible Church in Gilbert, Gilbert Historial Society or Homeward Hospice in Ames.

Soderstrum Funeral Home in Story City is in charge of the arrangements. 4-1