Eleanor Maxine (Soma) PALS

PALS, SOMA, JOHNSON, BOELMAN, HULING, HOUSER, INSKO, DURANT, DORENKAMP, BEISNER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 11/11/2009 at 09:36:13

October 29, 2009
Belmond Independent, Iowa

Eleanor Maxine (Soma) Pals, 82, of Belmond died Friday, October 23, 2009 at the Rehabilitation Center of Belmond. Visitation for Eleanor will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Dugger Funeral Home in Belmond and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church with Pastor Troy Pflibsen officiating. Burial will take place in the Belmond Cemetery.

Eleanor, the daughter of Norris and Eveline (Johnson) Soma, was born February 17, 1927 in Belmond. She grew up in the Belmond area where she attended schools. Eleanor graduated from Belmond High School in 1945. Eleanor was united in marriage to Alvin Pals on January 1, 1946 at her parents' home. The couple farmed together for many years until moving to town in 1988. Eleanor entered the Belmond Health Care Center in 2001. Eleanor was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She enjoyed sewing, baking, working on puzzles and especially search-a-word. The children and grandchildren savored dinners at Eleanor and Alvin's home on Sundays. Their lake home was enjoyed by everyone in the family. Playing 500 with their card club was another of Eleanor's favorite pastimes in addition to going to Ridiculous Days and garage sales. Eleanor was a homemaker extraordinaire. Eleanor and Alvin enjoyed traveling, but her family was most important to her.

Eleanor is survived by her children, Douglas (Diana) of Moscow, Idaho, Barbara (Jim) Boelman of Belmond, Curtis (LuAnn) of Belmond, Luann (Steve) Huling of Hampton; grandchildren, Joel (Mindy) Pals, Karena (Michael) Houser and Danielle Pals; Angela (Clint) Johnson and Andrea (Matt) Insko; Kevin, Steven, and Laura Pals; Amanda, Deborah, and Christopher Huling: great-grandchildren, Sam, Henry and Gretchen Pals: Chloe and Alaina Houser and Benjamin Insko; brothers and sisters, Murial Durant of Dallas, Texas: Gilman (Sandra) Soma of Belmond: Betty (Don) Dorenkamp of Thornton: Lois (Jim) Beisner of Iowa Falls: Shirley (Arlen) Pals of Lake Mills: Charles (Phebe) Soma of Belmond; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, Alvin in 2007; and a sister, Dorothy.