Bess (Comfort) Holveck (1919-2010)

HOLVECK, COMFORT, COOK, TURNER

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/19/2012 at 11:51:52

From Mitchell Family Funeral Home obituaries, Marshalltown, Marshall County, Iowa:

Bess Holveck, 91, of Marshalltown, died Thursday, October 21st, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 26th, at Bangor-Liberty Friends Church, with burial in the Bangor Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Monday, October 25th, at Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. Memorials may be made in her memory to Bangor-Liberty Friends Church Memorial Fund. Condolences to the family may be addressed to The Embers, 1211 W. State Street, Apt. 344, Marshalltown, IA, 50158.

Bess Comfort was born July 4th, 1919, at Hubbard, Iowa, to Robert and Sarah (Johnston) Comfort. She spent her childhood in the Zearing area and graduated from Zearing High School in 1936. With encouragement from a special aunt and her parents, she decided to become an elementary school teacher and received a two-year degree from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. She taught at Hansel, Iowa, for two years and then in Marshalltown for two years. She loved her calling. In 1955, she renewed her certificate and began teaching 6th grade at State Center until retiring several years later. After retirement from full-time teaching, she worked as a substitute teacher and as a tutor. On June 7th, 1942, she was united in marriage to Kenneth Holveck at the Illinois Grove Friends Church by her grandfather, a Quaker minister. The couple farmed near St. Anthony and later moved to the farm near Clemons where they lived for nearly 60 years before moving to The Embers in Marshalltown in 2004.

Bess was an active and faithful member of the Bangor-Liberty Friends Church, serving in several capacities. She was an assistant 4-H leader, a Hospice volunteer; a member of the women’s Christian group, Metanoia; and the Marshall County Extension Council. Bess had a collection of aprons, with a story for each and gave several “apron programs” to women’s groups. She loved to read and also wrote poetry. She kept informed on current affairs. Even in her last days, she asked her family, “What are the headlines?” Bess took an active interest in those around her and was helpful to others as long as her health permitted. In 1986, she was honored with the Eliza Cox Fellowship and a lifetime membership in the United Society of Friends Women for her longtime dedicated work with the United Society of Friends Women.

Left to treasure her memory are Kenneth, her loving husband of 68 years; sons Jack (Andrea) Holveck of Des Moines and Dr. Bob (Karla) Holveck of Newberg, OR; grandchildren and their families: John (Davel Patel) of Banda Aceh, Indonesia; David of Des Moines; Rob (Amber), Laura and Ken of Oregon City, OR; Kyle (Raydene), Kylie and Cloe of Dundee, OR; Ryan (Kristel), Hadley and Gavin of Newberg, OR; and Kara (Jason) Cook of Vancouver, WA.

Bess was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Ambrose and Kenneth, sister Kathryn Turner, and an infant grandson.