Addie Claire (Ensminger) CALLEN

CALLEN, ENSIMINGER, GAGER, DIXON, FOGLE, KRIEGER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/21/2014 at 13:46:20

September 20, 1934 --- January 15, 2012

ROCHESTER — Addie Claire Callen, 77, of Rochester, Minn., died Jan. 15, 2012, peacefully in her home, surrounded by her loving family and her devoted caregiver, Jessie, after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.

Claire was born Sept. 20, 1934, in Shreveport, La., to J. B. and Frankie Ensminger. On June 28, 1957, Claire was united in marriage to Donald Callen. This union was blessed with the birth of Donald Jr., Charlene and Catherine. She attended Centenary College in Shreveport, La., where she received her bachelor’s degree in religious education with a major in Bible. She was then employed as the Christian education director at the Methodist Church in Mt. Pleasant, Texas.

She was a loving and devoted mother and a wonderful parsonage wife. She sang in church choirs and taught Sunday School classes. She was a member of United Methodist Women and PEO, holding offices in both of these organizations. Since her move to Rochester in 1998, Claire was active in volunteer work. She volunteered with Interfaith Hospitality Network and Community Food Response. Along with her husband, she provided communion for the homebound and made hospital visitations. She was an avid reader, and when not reading she loved spending time with her family.

Claire is survived by her husband, Rev. Donald Callen; three grown children, Don (Joan) Callen of Waukesha, Wis., Charlene (Jim) Gager of Smithville, Mo., and Cathy (David) Krieger of Decorah; nine grandchildren, Bryan, Kyle and Grace Callen, Matthew and Michelle Gager, Alicia (Brad) Dixon of Eyota, Minn., Amber (Jake) Fogle of Pleasant Prairie, Wis., and Angela and Adam Krieger; and one great-grandson, Oliver Dixon. She was preceded in death by her parents and a granddaughter, Ashlee Lynn Krieger.

Her body has been donated to Mayo Medical Clinic. A memorial service will be 10 a.m. Thursday at Christ United Methodist Church; with Rev. Charles Luers of Ottumwa UMC officiating. Memorial donations may be made to Parkinson’s research or to the PEO Foundation.

Ottumwa Courier - Ottumwa, Iowa
January 17, 2012

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[former resident of Eagle Grove, Wright County, Iowa]