Gage, E. Jeanette

E. Jeanette Gage, 102, of Belle Plaine, celebrated her arrival in Heaven Christmas morning 2013.

Mrs. Gage was able to live in her own home until earlier this year. Mrs. Gage's grandparents settled in Iowa territory after one of their daughters died in the Montana frontier. Mrs. Gage was born in Guthrie Center and lived her entire life in Iowa, including Graettinger, Esterville, Blairstown and Belle Plaine.

Survivors include two sons and a daughter: Gary Duncan of Summerville, S.C., Garlinda Gage Hyde of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Brian Gage of Sioux Falls, S.D. Mrs. Gage had six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

In her lifetime she grew up using horse and buggy, witnessed the birth of flight, and developments which included indoor plumbing, mechanized agriculture and television. At her 100th birthday celebration she commented that “the strangest thing she had seen was talking to her grandchildren on the other side of the world through a picture frame (iPad).”

Mrs. Gage was preceded in death by her parents, Ben F. and Gertrude Reeves; her husband, Garland Gage; six brothers; and one sister. Although widowed for 47 years, Mrs. Gage was active in community and church activities. She also enjoyed painting, writing and traveling.

Viewing will take place at Hrabak Funeral Home in Belle Plaine at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28, with a family burial following at Pleasant Hill Cemetery near Blairstown.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Words of Life Ministries c/o Church of Glad Tidings. P.O. Box 1630, Yuba City, CA 95992. (www.churchofgladtidings.com) This ministry helps poor and orphaned children in Cambodia and is run by one of her grandsons.

Published Dec. 27, 2013 in The Gazette