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Elaine Plank
ELAINE PLANK
Cedar Rapids
Elaine Virginia Plank, 92, of Long Beach, Calif., formerly of Eldon and Cedar Rapids, died Friday, June 12, 2015, at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System. Services are pending. Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Survivors include her children, Susan Biederman of Everly, Iowa, and Steven Plank of Garden Grove, Calif.
She was preceded in
death by her husband,
Robert; her parents, John and Flora (Bartels) Rhyner; her brother, Roger; and sisters, Margie and Wanda.
Elaine V. Plank was born Feb. 10, 1923, in Oshkosh, Wis., the second daughter (third child) of Flora (Bartels) and John Rhyner. She graduated from Oshkosh High School in 1941.
She joined the Navy during World War 2 and was stationed at the Ottumwa, Iowa, Naval Air Station, where she met her future husband, Robert.
Robert and Elaine were married in 1946 and were married over 65 years.
In 1950, both Robert and Elaine attended and graduated from the Kansas City School of Watch-making and Jewelry Repair. She was the first female licensed watch-maker in Iowa. In 1960, they opened and suc-cessfully ran Plank Jewelers in the former Killian's department store in downtown Cedar Rapids. She was not only a watch-maker but a superb engraver as well.
She was a member of the Eldon United Methodist Church.
Elaine loved her husband and family. Elaine was gentle, kind and caring with people and had many dear family members and friends. She was a wonderful and loving mother who filled her children's lives with joy and will be remembered for making holidays and celebrations magical.
She will missed dearly, but we are grateful for the time and life we had with her.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to Wounded Warriors would be appreciated.
The family wishes to express its gratitude for the care and compassion provided by all in the hospice center located in the Long Beach, Calif., veterans hospital.
Please leave a message or tribute to the Plank family on the Web page, www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.
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