Mildred Naoma (Crawford) LANGE

LANGE, CRAWFORD, BURGESS, ROGGOW, SMITH, DIRKS, DUNCAN, PATTERSON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/17/2016 at 17:23:08

November 16, 1915 ---- January 9, 2016

Mildred "Millie" Lange, age 100, of Alden, died on Saturday, January 9, 2016 in Iowa Falls. Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Buckeye with burial in the Alden cemetery. There will be visitation 5-7 Tuesday at the Surls Funeral Home in Iowa Falls.

Mildred Naoma Crawford Lange, 100, passed away on Saturday, January 9, 2016, at the Heritage Care Center in Iowa Falls, Iowa, where she had been a resident since May 1, 2006. Her husband, Ervin Lange, entered the same day. In July 2006 he fell and broke his hip which resulted in a severe heart attack which took his life at age 94. Mildred decided to stay at the care center.

Mildred was born east of Iowa Falls on November 16, 1915, to William Ellsworth Crawford from Illinois and Lura Anne Burgess of Wisconsin. After a short time the family moved to a small farm closer to Steamboat Rock, Iowa where George, Mildred and Doris attended the Hickory Grove country school. When Mildred was 11 years old the family moved to a small acreage east of Dows, Iowa where George, Mildred, Doris, and Glenn attended Dows High School.

In 1933, Mildred graduated with a class of 44. After graduation, Mildred moved to Iowa Falls and worked for several lawyers for a year. Mildred then received a call from NorthWestern Bell Telephone Co. where she stayed for 10 years. She then went to work as secretary for Earle Fitz as he was starting an office, “Riverside Book & Bible House” in his home.

After a few years, she and her best friend, Ervin Lange, a farmer from Alden, Iowa, married. The wedding took place at the First Congregational Church in Iowa Falls on June 7, 1947. His parents then moved to Iowa Falls and Ervin and Mildred took over the farm.

Ervin was a lifetime member of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Buckeye and Mildred joined him after their marriage. They were faithful members. Mildred enjoyed feeding birds, growing flowers, reading, writing letters, keeping a diary, picnics, and vacations at Okoboji. She was a gracious hostess to friends and family. Many enjoyed the stories Mildred shared of growing up and her life on the farm. Mildred crocheted many afghans, most of which were sold at the yearly church bazaar. She also made feather pillows from their flock of geese and ducks. A lot of newlyweds received a pair of goose down pillows. She and Ervin loved to fish and went when they could get away.

Mildred is survived by the following special people: her niece Debby Lura (Mark) Roggow, of Enid, OK; godchild Lori (Ron) Smith of Davenport, IA; sister-in-law, Deloris Crawford, of Dows, IA; friends Rose Dirks, of Belmond, IA; and Royle and Jo Duncan of Alden, IA. Mildred also leaves many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and friends to remember her. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Ervin, an infant brother, brothers George Crawford, Glenn Crawford, and sister Doris Mae Patterson.

https://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=3550654&fh_id=14592