Eldean Drewes

ELDEAN DREWES

Cedar Rapids

Eldean William Drewes was born Jan. 30, 1927, in Forest City, Iowa. His parents were William and Alma Drewes. Eldean passed away May 22, 2017, at the age of 90 at Keystone Cedars in Cedar Rapids.

After graduating from high school in 1945, Eldean spent two years in the Army Signal Corps at the close of World War II. He then returned and began his college career. He received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. After 12 years as band director, he returned to earn his master's degree in administration from the University of Northern Iowa. In all, he served 34 years in the public schools in Postville as band director and high school principal.

In 1953, Eldean married Audrey Pepper, and they parented two daughters, Linda (Pat) Hall of Andrews, Ind., and Carol (Paul) Collingsworth of Cedar Rapids. They have six living grandchildren: Phillip (Rachel), Bryan (Erica) and Drew Hall and Timothy, Sarah and Rachel Collingsworth; and two great-granddaughters, Alexis and Ava Hall.

Preceding Eldean in death were his parents; a sister, Dorrine Prudhom; and a granddaughter, Kelsey Marie Collingsworth.

Eldean loved to fish, and some of his best memories were those with all of the family on their yearly vacation to the lake and of the times spent together at special occasions in their lives.

Eldean will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, teacher and friend. He dedicated his life to education and to his family, and always had words of wisdom for those he loved. He will be dearly missed.

A visitation and inurnment will be at a later date.

The family would like to thank Keystone Cedars and UnityPoint Hospice for their loving care of Eldean.

The family requests donations be made to Camp Courageous, PO Box 418, 12007 190th St., Monticello, IA 52310-0418.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.graufuneralhomes.com.