Ida Virginia Callen (1924-2011)

CALLEN, TOWNSEND, CLAYTON, SEEMAN, BRO, WIAND, CHRISTY, OLSON

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/5/2012 at 21:16:33

From Adams & Soderstrum Funeral Home obituary, Story County, Iowa:

I. Virginia Clayton

BORN: June 8, 1924
DIED: March 8, 2011
LOCATION: Ames, Iowa

Ida Virginia Callen was born on June 8, 1924, the daughter of Gilbert J and Edith Rebecca (Townsend) Callen, near Moravia, Monroe County, Iowa. She graduated from Moravia High School in 1942. She worked at the Robinson Department Store in South Bend, Indiana, before attending the American Institute of Business in Des Moines. She was a secretary at the New York Life Insurance Company in Des Moines when she married Elmer Clayton of Ames, in Des Moines, on December 19, 1948. While Elmer finished college, she worked in the Dairy Husbandry Department at Iowa State College.

She worked as a secretary during their first two moves to Sioux City and Waterloo. Daughter, Delores, was born in Waterloo, son, Michael in Sigourney and daughter, Melody in Davenport. She was a "stay-at-home mom" until Melody was in junior high school. Then, she worked part-time in the Davenport School System. They moved back to Ames in 1979, where Delores and Michael had graduated and Melody was attending Iowa State University. In Ames, she was employed at the University's Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS), retiring in 1991.

Virginia was a loving and caring wife and mother, and "best friend" to all who knew her well. She was a member of Northminster Presbyterian Church and Ames Woman's Club. She enjoyed reading and playing bridge.

She is survived by her husband, Elmer Clayton of Ames; daughter, Delores (James) Seeman of Beaman; son, Michael (Deanna) Clayton of Ames; daughter, Melody (Mark) Bro of Montour; sister, Crystal (William) Wiand of Des Moines; brother, Richard Callen of Ft. Wayne, IN; sister, Doris (Wayne) Christy of Humeston; and nine grandchildren, JoAnn, Jamie and Michaela Seeman; Sara and Andrew Clayton; and Samuel, Christopher, Laura and Eric Bro.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Beverly Olson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Northminster Presbyterian Church or the Israel Family Hospice House.

Funeral Service

March 11, 2011
11:00 AM
Northminster Presbyterian Church
1416 20th St.
Ames, IA 50010

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