Beal, Eileen

Eileen Beal, 89, of Monticello, died Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011, at the Monticello Nursing and Rehabilitation Center following a 22 year battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 14, at the First Presbyterian Church in Monticello, with interment in the Oakwood Cemetery. Friends may call from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Goettsch Funeral Home in Monticello. The Rev. Al Polito Jr. will officiate at the service.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at .

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society.

Surviving are four children, Esther (Al) Kleinkauf of North Platte, Neb., Emily (Robert) Fulton of Hackensack, Minn., Barbara (Ron) Ellsworth, Bellevue, Wash. and a son, John (Sarah) Beal of Monticello; two grandsons, Joshua and Matthew Beal of Monticello; and two brothers, Howard (Phyllis) Moore, of Tennessee, John (Siobhan) Moore of Oklahoma.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, William in 2003; two sisters, Maribel McLeod and Rosanna Moore.

Eileen Moore was born Oct. 12, 1922, near Pataskala, Ohio. She was the daughter of John and Esther (Palmer) Moore. After losing her mother to tuberculosis at age six, she was raised by Lucinda, known as “Auntie Lou” and her father, who married in 1930. She graduated from Kirkersville (Ohio) High School in 11 years and went to a two year business program at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. She did the accounting and worked at her father's feed store until she married.

On Oct. 21, 1951, Eileen Moore and William Beal were married at Kirkersville, Ohio. They farmed the family's farm near Westerville, Ohio, until 1964 when they moved to a farm near Washington Court House, Ohio. Eileen helped in her children's activities as a Girl Scout leader, Sunday school teacher and 4-H volunteer. In 1973, they moved to their farm in Castle Grove Township, Jones County, Iowa, near Monticello. She volunteered at church including being moderator of Presbyterian Women.

With all the moves Eileen experienced in her life, she truly “bloomed where she was planted.” She loved to bake, especially desserts for her son. She won many ribbons at county and state fairs for her banana bread and spongecakes. She was very creative and was always working on a craft, especially plastic canvas.

The family would like to thank St. Luke's Hospice, and Chaplin Jeremy Hudson for the wonderful care during Eileen's illness.

Published in The Gazette Nov. 8, 2011.