Mears, Catherine Elizabeth (Pressly) 1922-2010
MEARS, PRESSLY, MASON, WATT, RIGGS, SCHROEDER, ELLINGSON, BACCAM, SCHMARDEBECK, TYRRELL, LITZELMAN, ORLAND
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 11/1/2012 at 12:18:53
Catherine E. “Betty” Mears, age 88, of Decorah, IA, died Friday, November 12, 2010 at Barthell Order of Eastern Star Home in Decorah.
Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, November 27, 2010 at Congregational United Church of Christ in Decorah with Rev. Matthew H. Perkins officiating. Visitation begins one hour before services. Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is serving the family.
A second memorial service will be held in June so that the California half of the family can attend. It will be a celebration of Betty's life in the setting she loved most: her garden.
Private Family Burial has already taken place in Phelps Cemetery in Decorah.
Catherine Elizabeth “Betty” (Pressly) Mears was born February 14, 1922 in Belmont, North Carolina, the daughter of John Mason and Laura Rebecca (Watt) Pressly. After graduating from Belmont High School, Betty received her Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro on June 5, 1943.
Betty was united in marriage to Paul Thomas “Bill” Mears on June 6, 1943 at the First Presbyterian Church in Belmont, North Carolina. This union was blessed with two daughters: Dulcy and Rebecca.
Betty and Bill moved to Decorah in 1950. Betty was a homemaker while Bill’s job kept him on the road most of the time in six states in the upper Midwest. For more than 50 years Betty enjoyed creating beautiful flower gardens in her large backyard.
In North Carolina, Betty was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. In Decorah, she was active in the Congregational United Church of Christ, Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum, A.A.U.W. and Garden Club. Betty liked art, china painting, collecting antiques and rosemaling. She had an easy and chatty personality, an infectious laugh and she loved chocolate! Growing up in the Great Depression had a lasting effect on her life.
Betty became a resident of Barthell Order of Eastern Star Home on September 28, 2010, where she passed away Friday, November 12, 2010 at the age of 88, with her daughters at her side.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Bill on February 18, 1987; and by one sister, Rebecca Riggs.
Betty is survived by her two daughters: Dulcy Schroeder of Forest Ranch, CA and Becca (Dennis) Ellingson of Decorah; six grandchildren: Quayla, Kari (Anousak) Baccam, Brenna (Roy) Schmardebeck, Arrilla Tyrrell, P.T. Schroeder and Erik Schroeder; four great-grandchildren: Ashlie, Justin, Ella and Caleb; two sisters: Marjorie (Karl) Litzelman of Red Bank, NJ and Ruth (Joe) Orland of Kannapolis, NC; and by one brother-in-law: William Riggs of Reidsville, NC.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial donations to the Congregational United Church of Christ, Barthell Order of Eastern Star Home, Aase Haugen Home or an environmental organization of choice.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
Phelps Cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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