Deets, Ellene (Mrs. Worth R. "Dick") 1938-2024

DEETS, ZEUNERT, GUSE

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/3/2024 at 16:51:23

Mrs. Ellene Deets, age 86, of Orange City, passed away on Saturday, July 27, 2024, surrounded by her five daughters.

A visitation with the family present will be held on Friday, August 2, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City. There will be a funeral service on Saturday, August 3, at 10:30am, at the American Reformed Church in Orange City with the Rev. Dr. Verlyn Boone officiating. Following a time of lunch and fellowship, interment will take place at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City.

Ellene Mae was born in Cedarburg, Wisconsin on May 1, 1938, to Elmer T. and Irene O. (Zeunert) Guse. She graduated from Cedarburg High School and later continued her education at Drake University in Des Moines. Here she graduated with a degree in Pharmacy and maintained her Pharmaceutical License for fifty years. While at Drake, she met the love of her life, her husband Worth R. (Dick) Deets. They were married on August 29, 1959, and moved to Orange City in 1961.

In Orange City, they began to build their roots by purchasing the Village Drug, growing their family, and becoming members at American Reformed Church. Ellene worked as a Registered Pharmacist in several area towns. After selling the Village Drug, Ellene and Dick started Tristate Pharmacy. They filled in so their fellow pharmacists could have time off. In this role, Ellene, who specialized in compounding prescriptions, worked and cared for the needs of customers at more than ten pharmacies in six Northwest Iowa counties.

Ellene was a dedicated and compassionate community servant spending time volunteering as a Sioux County Elder Guide member, Secretary for the Sioux County Council on Aging as an Iowa SHIIP volunteer, and in the Office of the East Sioux Classical Union, serving as Spiritual Life Secretary. More recently, she volunteered at the Orange City Hospital and Library. She liked reading to residents of the nursing home and took care of her condo association library. She was always quick to offer baked goods or something special from her kitchen to anyone in need. She cherished her Bible study and prayer groups. She was a friendly face to new church members and was eager to connect with them. She participated in several book and bridge clubs, enjoyed solving puzzles, and was a strong competitor when playing Bridge, Wordle, and Jeopardy.

The most treasured roles of her life were being a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. The heart Ellene's home was around the kitchen table, where family and friends gathered for delicious meals and spirited competitive games, spiced with laughter. She always encouraged others through letters, greeting cards, or a listening ear. She will be remembered for her kindness, support, and ability to love those around her.

Ellene will be held in the hearts of her brother, Robert “Bob” (Marcia) Guse, of Cedarburg; and sister-in-law, Eileen Guse, of Durham, North Carolina; five daughters, Pamela “Pam” Deets, Jennifer Steele, Valerie (David) Pace, Erica (Rob) McAlpine, and Belinda (Shane) Jones; ten grandchildren, Whitney Sobek, Ryan Deets, Tyler (Nicole) Steele, Rachel Pace (Robert Nugent), Aaron Steele, Kyle McAlpine, Austin McAlpine, Sarah Pace, Eddie Deets, and Noah Jones; four great-grandchildren, with one on-the-way; and many other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dick; her parents, Elmer and Irene; her sister, Barbara; her brother, Paul; her brother-in-law and his wife, William and Jacqueline Deets; and nephews John Deets, and Frank Deets.

Source: Olman Funeral Home online obituary.