Novella Dorothy BREDBENNER

BREDBENNER, LAU

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/12/2010 at 12:52:06

February 6, 2007
Belmond Independent - Iowa

Novella Dorothy Bredbenner, died at the Concord Care Center in Garner, on Tuesday, January 30, 2007. Memorial services were held on Thursday, February 1, at the Klemme United Methodist Church.

Novella, the daughter of Clark and Martha (Lau) Bredbenner, was born on September 8, 1917 in Klemme. She graduated from the Klemme Public School as valedictorian of the Class of 1934. For many years Novella alternated teaching and attending college. In 1935 she started her college education at Iowa State Teachers' College. Novella joined the Kappa Phi Club, a religious organization for university women. She received her two-year elementary degree in 1939 and returned to Cedar Falls in 1944 for her junior year of college. She completed her B.A. in elementary education and graduated with honors in 1948. In 1954 Novella was awarded a Ding Darling Fellowship from the National Wildlife Federation and completed her masters degree at Cedar Falls.
She began her teaching career at Riverside School, two miles south of Klemme, with a salary of $50 a month. Those were the days when the teacher not only taught school, but also built the fire, swept the floor, washed the blackboard, etc. She enjoyed playing ball with her students, skating on the river ice, sliding downhill on a toboggan in a snowstorm, or chasing butterflies in the spring. She later taught at Allison and then at Brooks, Greenwood and Maple Grove Schools in Des Moines, including 27 years of elementary science and social studies at the Hubbell School. In Des Moines Novella was active in many school, church and community organizations.

Novella was confirmed in the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1928 and was active in Standard Bearers and Epworth League. She taught Sunday School and Bible School. At Klemme, she was active in the United Methodist Women, the administrative council, and the Iowa Annual Conference. She attended World Methodist conferences in Singapore, England and Kenya. Butterfly collecting, genealogy, photography, and traveling were among her hobbies. Novella and her mother, Martha enjoyed many trips together. She traveled to all 50 states and many countries around the world. She shared slide shows and artifacts from her travels. Novella spent many hours assisting with the book on Klemme history for the centennial in 1989. She participated in the Hancock County Genealogical Society, Hancock County Historical Society, Federated Women's Club, and Federated Garden Club.

Novella embraced her extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins. She enjoyed gathering with family for the holidays and at Lau reunions. Novella was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by numerous loving friends and extended family members.