Beatrice Elledge

BEATRICE ELLEDGE

Hopkinton

Beatrice Herington Elledge: What better way is there to make sure only good things are said about you in your obituary, than to write it yourself, so here goes:

A Celebration of my Life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 1, at the Hopkinton Community Church with interment in the Hopkinton Cemetery. Pastor Cheryl Gates will officiate at my services. Friends may come to the church from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday for a visitation and time of sharing with my family. Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello, is in charge of my arrangements.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com.

Memorials may be made to Maquoketa Valley Dollars For Scholars.

Those I leave to carry on without me include my husband, Jeff of Colesburg; my son, Steve Herington and his life partner, Jan Miles of Hopkinton; Jan's children, Maggie (Andy) Primmer, Walford, Janelle (Eric) Gates, Coggon, and Dan of Ames and their families; my brother, Howard (Doris) House, Manchester; my sister, Gail (Lee) DeShaw, Hopkinton; stepchildren, Kurt (Julie) Elledge, Davenport, Wash., Kandy (Bob) Knepper, Parker, Colo., and Kathy Riniker, Masonville; a niece, Crys (John) Smith, Delhi; a nephew, Mark DeShaw, Cedar Rapids; two brothers-in-law, Bob (Dolores) Herington, Cedar Rapids and Bert Elledge, Edgewood; a sister-in-law, Leta House, Manchester; seven stepgrandchildren; five stepgreat-grandchildren; an "adopted" daughter, Julia Goedken, Worthington; and my dogs, Susie, Jack and Crosby.

I was preceded in death by my parents, Allen and Verla House; and my husband, Bill Herington.

After 80 years of life on this earth, I was called to take residence in my heavenly home on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014. My years here were spent in the Hopkinton and Colesburg area, respectively. Many of these years, 44 of them, were spent in the vocation I began at the age of 18 years of age – teaching in what is now the Maquoketa Valley Community School District. This long and satisfying career has left me with many fond memories.

My life began on July 20, 1933, at Hopkinton, Iowa, where I was born to my parents, Allen F. and Verla (Smith) House. My childhood was spent in that area culminating with graduation from the Hopkinton High School as co-valedictorian of the Class of 1950. My college education was obtained from the University of Northern Iowa and Upper Iowa, where I graduated cum laude with my baccalaureate degree in education in 1972. My first teaching position was with the Hopkinton Independent School District for the 1951-52 school year. My last was with the Maquoketa Valley Community School District for the 1994-95 school year which ended with the beginning of my retirement.

During my lifetime, I have worn many different kinds of "hats" in addition to the teachers "hat." I donned my "farmers wife hat" on May 28, 1954, when I was married to William (Bill) Herington at Hopkinton. We farmed for 12 years in the area before Bill's death on Feb. 22, 1966.

After that I wore the "hat' of single parent for my son, Steve, for the remainder of his childhood.

On July 25, 1979 I received the gift of an "instant grandmother's hat" when I was married to Lowell (Jeff) Elledge at Colesburg, Iowa.

In 1993, I plopped the "co-entrepreneur's hat" upon my head when Steve and I opened Chateau Diving and Fitness on the family property near Hopkinton. This required that I wear many smaller "hats" depending on what day it was, ranging from sanitation department, superintendent, bookkeeper, receptionist, horticulturist, water aerobics leader and public relations personal, all very interesting positions.

The "hats" I enjoyed wearing during leisure hours were my tall white "bakers hat," my wide brimmed "straw hat" for gardening and flower tending, my short-brimmed "baseball hat" for attending bluegrass festivals, my bandanna for reading, writing and embroidery work and my "Warden's hat" (whatever kind of hat they wear,) as I was affectionately known (I think) by my son and his friends.

I had been a member of the Hopkinton Presbyterian Church where I served as a trustee, the Edgewood Bible Church and most recently, the Greeley Methodist Church. I was also a member of the Clio Club in Hopkinton since 1995, as well as the Maquoketa Valley Retired Employees group.

My life's work here on earth ended on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014, at Good Neighbor Home in Manchester with a few things regretfully left unfinished. I had hoped that a cure for cancer would be discovered in my lifetime as well as a solution to the War on Terror. I have been saddened by the reports that today's education system is sorely inadequate in preparing our young people for challenges in the work field and would like to have seen this changed. Hopefully, the next generation will be more successful in these endeavors.

It has been difficult to encapsulate a lifetime of milestones and heartaches of my life which is found between 1933 and 2014 so only the basic ones have been included to avoid it becoming a catalog rather than an obituary.

My philosophy of life has been to enjoy life because it flies by so swiftly as if "On The Wings Of A Dove," to live life to its fullest each day "One Day At A Time."

To all, I bid farewell and wish you well for the remainder of your lifetime. I will see you " On The Far Side Of Jordan."