Elsie (Eden) REESE

REESE, EDEN, WILSON, ADAMS, SMITH, GROEPPER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:42

July 5, 1914 ---- May 16, 2019

BELMOND --- Elsie Reese, 104 years old, passed away on May 16, 2019, at the Rehabilitation Center at Belmond, Iowa. Memorial services will be at 11:00 A.M., Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the First Reformed Church, Alexander, IA. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the church. Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery, Rowan, IA. The family suggests those wishing to express their sympathies through a memorial in Elsie's name consider the First Reformed Church of Alexander, the local chapter of the American Cancer Society, or the donor's choice.

Elsie was born July 5, 1914. She graduated from Alexander High School in 1931, followed by getting a teaching degree at Normal School in Cedar Falls, and teaching in the rural country school for four years at Rowan, IA.

Elsie was united in marriage to Mervin "Pete" Reese of Rowan, IA, in 1937 and the couple's union was blessed with two children, Jerelyn and Terry. She always remembered the wonderful family gatherings and vacations.

She worked at the ASCS office in Clarion, IA, for 6 years. The highlight of her widowed years, was being a dorm housemother at Iowa State for 5 years, then Waldorf College for 4 years as a housemom. Elsie was loved by the college girls she lived with and they respected her taking her to college functions on campus. Later, she joined the Kitchen Klatter Band in Alexander, and those women entertained in all the small towns in the area. She took marvelous vacations to Europe, especially loving Switzerland. For several winters she would visit her sister in Pharr, TX. and enjoy painting classes and sewing projects. Her many hobbies included traveling, reading, puzzles, playing all kinds of card games, sewing and watching television. She was befriended by all those who knew her or met her. She was a lady in Every respect and she always dressed to the 10's. Her hair and makeup were perfect daily. She was a devout Christian and active in her church.

Because of health issues, Elsie moved to the Rehabilitation Center in 2010.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Adolph and Minnie Eden, husband, Mervin "Pete" Reese, sister Edythe Wilson, and brothers, Edward and Jelto Eden. Survivors include her two children: Jerelyn Adams (John) of Ames, IA, and Terry Reese of Flushing, MI. Two grandchildren: Kimberly Smith of Ames and Kristin Groepper (Dan) of Des Moines, IA, and 6 great grandchildren: Dylan and Alec Smith, Hanna, Clair, Jack, and Ben Groepper, plus two great great grandchildren Charlotte and Kennedy. Andrews Funeral Home, Belmond, IA.

Mason City Globe Gazette -- Mason City, Iowa
May 19, 2019