Elsie M. (Brighton) DENGER

DENGER, BRIGHTON, HAMILTON, WEAVER, BIRD, CHIVERS, MASON, MELANCON, WHITE, LOOMIS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 10/25/2009 at 11:25:51

American Press, Lake Charles, LA
May 6, 2007

Elsie M. Denger and friends who mourn Elsie's death. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray; son, Dan; daughter, Sue; father and mother, John and Hettie Brighton; brothers, Leslie, Harold and Don Brighton; and sisters, Irene Hamilton, Dorothy Weaver and Philis Bird.

Her funeral will be at 3:30 p.m. Monday, May 7, in Dows United Methodist Church, Dows, Iowa. The Rev. Kalen Fristad will officiate. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery in Dows, Iowa. Visitation is from 2:30 p.m. Monday in the church. Arrangements have been entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be directed to University United Methodist Church, 3501 Patrick St., Lake Charles, LA 70605; Dows United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 19, Dows, IA 50071-0000; or the Dows Community Library, 114 Ellsworth St., Dows, IA 50071- 0427.

Elsie M. Brighton Denger was born on Jan. 29, 1914, in Williams, Iowa , to John and Hettie Chivers Brighton. She attended Williams Township rural schools through eighth grade and graduated from Popejoy High School in 1930. She attended Ellsworth Junior College in Iowa Falls, graduating in 1932. She was a rural school teacher until her marriage to Ray Lester Denger on Oct. 21, 1933. Elsie and Ray had two children, Dan and Sue. Throughout most of her adult life, Elsie lived on the Denger homestead farm southwest of Dows, Iowa, and worked with her husband and son in the farming business. After living 62 years on the farm, in 1995, Elsie moved to a residence in the city of Dows. Then in 2004 Elsie took residency in Lake Charles, La., to be near her remaining family members.

Elsie enjoyed life through music, volunteer work, travel, reading, watching sports, watching nature and her needlework. She had an appreciation for people and their likenesses and differences. She was devoted to her family, the United Methodist Church and her community. She also enjoyed spending time away from the Iowa winters.

Survivors include her daughter-in-law, Mary Ann Denger of Lake Charles; granddaughter, Diane Denger Mason and husband Larry of Lake Charles; great-grandchildren, Meredith Mason Melancon and husband Eric of Harahan, La., and Brandon Mason of Baton Rouge, La.; granddaughter, Carol Denger White of Lake Charles; greatgranddaughter, Jennifer Franklin Loomis and husband Shane of Los Alamitos, Calif.; great-great-grandson, Ethan Loomis of California;sister-in-law, Bernice Brighton of Ankeny, Iowa ; and brother-in-law, Stan Bird of Harper's Island, N.C. There are numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews.