Vida Fern Jorstad Rankin (1908-2008)
RANKIN, JORSTAD, BLOCHOWITZ, GARMS, CARTWRIGHT, DUNLAP
Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 10/31/2008 at 12:09:50
THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Tuesday, October 28, 2008.
Aug. 8, 1908-Oct. 26, 2008
Vida Fern Jorstad Rankin, 100, longtime Colo resident, died Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008, at Eastern Star Home in Boone. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, at Colo United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Colo Cemetery following the service.
Visitation will be two hours prior to the service Thursday at the church.
Vida was born, along with her twin sister, Viola, Aug. 8, 1908, in Tracy, Minn., to Della and Jonas Jorstad. She grew up on a farm near McCallsburg and graduated from McCallsburg High School. She went to Chicago to attend the Francis Willard Hospital School of Nursing, from which she graduated in 1932. She married Dr. Meriden L. Rankin Oct. 20, 1933. She did private duty nursing while raising her four children. She was active in the Evangelical United Brethren (which later united with the Methodist Church), World Outlook Club, Isabelle Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, Garden Club and Dalton Aid. When her children were grown, she worked in Dr. Johnson's office in Nevada for many years. She also worked a few years at the Story County Hospital.
In 1983, she was recognized as the Volunteer of the Biennium by the Iowa Federation of Women's Club, after receiving this recognition from the Colo World Outlook Club.
She had many interests throughout her life. She liked to knit, crochet, tat, do hairpin lace, weave on her loom, write silly poems, tell jokes, play cards with friends, and games with her grandchildren, especially Tripoley. She enjoyed bird watching and collecting stamps. She always was interested in the environment; she gardened using organic principles and was "green" long before that term began being used! With her garden club, she planted and maintained flowerbeds at Hickory Grove Park and Colo Public Library. When she retired to the Order of Eastern Star Home in 1994 at the age of 86, she planted everyone's Easter lilies after they had finished blooming so residents could enjoy a lovely lily garden the following year. Even after her eyesight diminished, she tried to adapt and stay involved in activities.
She is survived by her four children, Margaret A. Rankin, of Iowa City, Donna Blochowitz, of Frisco, Texas, David (Diane), of Volga, S.D., and Hila M. (Bob) Garms, of Elkader; her grandchildren, Scott (Judy) Blochowitz, Hila A. (Andy) Cartwright, Dennis and Brian (Caroline) Rankin, Matt (Angie) Garms, and Mindy (Bill) Dunlap; great-grandchildren, Randy and John Blochowitz, Jack Cartwright, Brady, Hayley and Brooke Rankin, Ashtyn and Alaina Garms, and Adam Dunlap; and step-grandchildren, Andre and Olivia Dunlap.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband in 1970; and all seven siblings.
Fredregill Funeral Home in Zearing is in charge of arrangements.
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