McCracken, Evelyn A. (1913-2012)
MCCRACKEN, HIGLEY, SODERLUND, HARDING, NOREN, SOLANO, WADDELL, NORTON, WEBSTER, FLUGUM, DAY, KRIGBAUM, FRERICKS
Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 10/29/2012 at 11:00:53
Evelyn A. McCracken
(November 24, 1913 - October 1, 2012)Evelyn Agnes McCracken died on October 1st, 2012, in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, at the age of 98. A longtime teacher, poet, artist, and advocate, she lived most of her adult life in Thompson, Iowa. Evelyn will be deeply missed by countless friends and family, all of whom cherished her constant smile, sense of humor, and willingness to listen and lend a hand. She always loved a good story – whether she or someone else told it.
Evelyn was born on November 24, 1913, to Almon Henry Higley and Martha Victoria Soderlund Higley in Indian Creek Township, Story County, Iowa. Her family moved to Monroe County when she was six where she went to country school; then, she attended high school at Moravia (Class of 1930). She graduated with a teaching degree from North Iowa Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls and taught in a rural school north of Clear Lake for three years.
Evelyn married Boyd Rankin Harding on May 28th, 1939. Early in their marriage, Evelyn and Boyd moved to Washington State where Boyd worked as a construction engineer on hydroelectric dam projects. In Washington, they adopted their three children: John, who died in infancy, Douglas, and Martha. In 1956, they moved back to Thompson to be near Evelyn’s parents. They farmed with Almon and Victoria until Boyd’s death only two years later. Evelyn, then, moved her children into town and taught at Thompson Elementary School until her two-year teaching certificate was no longer recognized by the State. In 1961, she moved with her children to Waverly, Iowa, where she taught and tutored for a year at the Lutheran Children’s Home, a treatment program for emotionally disturbed children. She moved back to Thompson where she worked as a substitute teacher for many years. At the same time, she went to night school in Mankato and worked as a cook at the White House Café in Thompson.
She married Harold McCracken in 1968, and they farmed northeast of town. She and Harold raised shorthorn cattle, Morgan horses, pigs, and a large menagerie of cats and kittens, which she adored throughout her life. Evelyn and Harold eventually moved to town where they owned and operated many businesses including a hardware store, a café, and apartments. She loved the café the most where she was cook, baker, server, and cashier. Everyone loved her huge cinnamon rolls.
In 1968, Evelyn and Harold made the first of their many international trips to the Dominican Republic, Canada, England, Australia, and Costa Rica. In Costa Rica, they met the Solano family whose children – Cecelia, Vera, and Louis - eventually moved to Thompson to live with the McCrackens.
Harold died in 1989 during one of their winter trips to Florida. Evelyn lived for the next ten years in Thompson, sharing her beautiful house, garden, and flowers with her many Thompson friends. In August of 2000, she sold her house and moved to Lake Mills where she was assisted by the good people at Mills Harbour; after a major illness in 2005, she moved to Lake Mills Care Center. On Palm Sunday, 2007, she moved to Taylors Falls, Minnesota, to be near her family. She shared Mary and Mike Matz’ home-based care facility with four other residents, including – for two years – Gary’s mom, June Noren. Gary and Marty still refer to Home-to-Home as “The Mom’s”.
Evelyn is survived by her daughters, Martha (Gary Noren) Harding and Vera (Larry Waddell) Solano; her grandchildren: Sarah (Jon) Norton, David Webster, Brandon and Lucas (Jen) Flugum; her former son-in-law, Terry Webster; and five great-grandchildren: Taylor, Thomas, and Ian Norton; and McKenzie and Cruz Flugum. She is also survived by her California family: her sister, Almona Day; her niece, Carolyn Krigbaum; her nephew, Bob (Janice) Day; her grand nieces and nephews: Jennifer, Michelle (Klif), Gretchen, Steve, Sean and Kaitlin; and one truly great-grandnephew, Leo. A stepdaughter, Florence Frericks; three stepsons, John, Phillip, and Robert McCracken; and eight step-grandchildren and their nineteen children also survive.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Walton Dale Higley; her parents, Almon and Victoria Higley; her husbands, Boyd R. Harding and Harold A. McCracken; her sons, John G. and Douglas A. Harding, and her niece, Joanne Day.
Services will be held at the United Methodist Church in Thompson at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, October 26th.
Memorials may be given in her name to the Thompson Library (142 Jackson St. N., Thompson, Iowa 50478) in honor of all the people she taught to read or to the Northern Waters Literacy Council (400 Polk County Plaza, Balsam Lake, WI 54810) where Gary and Marty will carry on Evelyn’s legacy of tutoring and mentoring.
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Winnebago Obituaries maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
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