Elizabeth Dake

ELIZABETH DAKE

Cedar Rapids

Elizabeth Wilhelm Dake, known to her friends as BJo, passed into her next and biggest travel adventure in the morning of Saturday, March 29, 2014. She was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Jan. 21, 1928, to George and Zulina (Severa) Wilhelm.

BJo is survived by three children, Lisa Oberreuter of Asheville, N.C., JoAn Mann of Bend, Ore., and Bob Dake of Charleston, W.Va.

There are four adored grandchildren, Mark and Amie Oberreuter of Houston, Texas, Dr. Chris Mann of Austin, Texas, and Alex Mann of Boston, Mass.

Being raised in Cedar Rapids gave BJo a solid Midwestern grounding of values and community involvement. However, a move to Mexico City, where she graduated from the American High School, ignited her lifelong passion for travel and learning. Returning to Iowa, she graduated from Coe College in 1947, married Norman Dake, and other than brief stays in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Oakland, Calif., stayed in Cedar Rapids until 1977, when they moved to Santa Barbara, Calif.

Always active in any community, her efforts in Cedar Rapids revolved around her creative spirit, the Community Theatre, the Cedar Rapids Symphony, Junior League, The Cedar Rapids Garden Club and her most memorable role as Playtime Poppy where she welcomed thousands of school children to the Children's Theatre. BJo was the first woman elected to the Salvation Army board, where she served for more than a decade. She served on the Coe College board and was a staunch advocate of education for all.

In Santa Barbara, BJo was a docent at the Botanic Garden, a member and then president of the UCSB Associates board, a board member and shop manager of Lotusland and a daily swimmer at the Montecito YWCA. Her grandchildren loved visiting her as she took them camping, to zoo camp, on beach walks and shopping throughout coastal California. Her beloved church, All Saints by the Sea Episcopal, gave her dear friends and a family. As much as she adored Santa Barbara, she left with great frequency as she traveled throughout the world.

In 2009 she moved to Asheville, N.C., and the Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community. Her passion for genealogy was given free rein and she traced her family back to Bohemia and the 8th century in Wales and Europe. Researching, learning the ins and outs of computers and traveling to England to see family origins occupied her up until the final months of her life.

There will be a memorial service in Asheville on Thursday, April 3.

In lieu of flowers, you may remember and honor her spirit with donations to any local charity doing great community service.