Eleanor Evelyn Von Ehwegen
February 02, 1914 - January 26, 2010
Of Smithland, Iowa, formerly of Lake View and Sac City.
Memorial Service: Saturday, 10:30 a.m., January 30, 2010 at Peace Lutheran Church in Wall Lake, Iowa.
Eleanor Evelyn Von Ehwegen, age 95, of Smithland, IA, formerly of Sac City and Lake View, passed away on Tuesday, January 26, 2010, at Burgess Health Center in Onawa, IA. Eleanor was born on February 2, 1914, in Sac County, Douglas Township, the daughter of William and Katie (Kennedy) Rahn. She attended country school in rural Sac County and Sac City High School. She completed her education at art school in Omaha, NE. She was married to Eldon Mowery in the 1930’s and later divorced. To this union a daughter, Twyla was born. In 1956, Eleanor and Delbert Von Ehwegen were married at Peace Lutheran Church in Wall Lake, where she remained an active member in the Ladies Aid and taught Sunday school.
Eleanor was an artist, nurse, homemaker, and farmer, helping Delbert whenever she could, but above all of these she treasured being a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Providing a loving home for her family was very important to her. She enjoyed cooking, crocheting, working in her garden, studying genealogy, going fishing and dancing, and talking with friends and family. Eleanor loved to paint and sold many of her paintings.
Survivors include her daughter Twyla Mae Parsley of Sloan, IA; granddaughter Ronelle Marnell and husband Harold of Smithland, IA; great-grandchildren: Robert Marnell of Sloan, IA, Samantha Kaye of Smithland, IA, Frank Marnell and wife Elizabeth of Vermillion, SD, and Eric Marnell, his wife Jessica, and one of Eleanor's greatest joys during the last 3 years, great-great granddaughter Alexandria of Hornick, IA; sister-in-law Mary Rahn of Sac City; and many nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends.
Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband Delbert; parents: William and Katie Rahn; son-in-law James Pasley; sister Bacie Hobler; and brothers and sisters-in-law: Fred (Tillie) Rahn, Kenneth (Violet) Rahn, and Russell Rahn.
The eulogy... I’m sure most of you know me. I am Eleanor’s granddaughter, Ronelle… the only child of her only child, Twyla.
Grandma’s presence in my life helped shape me into the person I am today. Her determination and enthusiasm for life has had a great impact on me and in some way or another, had an effect on nearly everyone she came into contact with. No one, and I mean NO ONE, was immune to giving sincere thought to their heritage and family roots when they were to meet her. When they parted, she would have analyzed their family surname, what country they were from, what PART of that country, and possibly even the individual’s astrological sign and character traits. Grandma had a true passion for reading and knowledge…
...and the topics of interest were endless. She had books, magazines, almanacs and articles concerning genealogy, astrology, organic gardening and horticulture, herbal and natural medicines, religion, current events, travel, history, cooking… and of course art. She had a deep interest and talent in art since she was very young. I heard countless stories about her artistic ventures from when she was a tiny girl and throughout her entire life. In fact, I had to call the ambulance when she was overcome by turpentine fumes during the past 2 years! (Of course, she INSISTED she could ONLY use the REAL, ORIGINAL turpentine, not any of that new odorless type without fumes!!)
She was working on a painting that portrayed a story she remembered her father telling her when she was a child… of coming over to the United States on a ship, seeing the northern lights in the sky, and how when the boats got as close to shore as possible, the ladies would have to hold up their dresses and petticoats and wade to shore.
Many of her oil paintings were based on stories and information pertaining to family history. Grandma had even made a full size quilt with pictures of her family’s history painted on each quilt square. She made several quilts, which were very nice, but she seemed to have much more enthusiasm for crocheting. I remember when Grandpa and Grandma lived on the farm, she had hand crocheted or tatted curtains with little windmills, and other tatting and crocheted pieces that I imagined impossible for someone to actually MAKE!
A year ago, shortly before the holidays, she decided to make a simple winter scarf and hat… then another… then another. Then she saw one of the long narrow trendy scarves on someone on TV… so she started making them! Then she heard about another style with pockets and started crocheting THEM. Everyone that came to the house got one… the papergirl, the maintenance guy that checked her oxygen, of course ALL the grandkids.
This fall, I went through my closet and found close to 30 of them that she had sent home with us!! (by the way, if anyone would like to take home an “Eleanor original”, they are located at the back of the church) I finally got her to stop with the scarves when I suggested she consider making little baby blankets for any future great-great grand-children… So she started on those.
Children and family were the highlight of Eleanor’s life. When Harold and I combined our families, she embraced his adult boys and their families as her grandchildren. When Alexandria came along 3 years ago, it put a new spark in her. She would sit and hold her new great-great granddaughter, singing softly. Every visit meant more to her than anyone could imagine, as Alexandria grew, learned to walk and talk. I know how much she had hoped to be here when Bobby, Samantha and Frank started their families.
Family was everything. Nearly every day I listened to stories of her family- how close she was to her father, how gentle her mother was, all the antics of her brothers as she was growing up, and throughout their lives… Endless stories of my mother growing up and about when I stayed with her and Grandpa when I was little, while my Mom went to beauty school.
The stories never ended… and were MANY times repeated… and repeated. Some I recalled from first hand experience…like her raising chickens, teaching Sunday School, and caring for Grandma Rahn at the farm, others were from way before my time, and many were from her and Grandpa’s travels. She loved to tell me about special occasions and weddings, what everyone wore, and she always remembered which hat SHE had worn. Rarely, was she seen in public without her head covered.
I recall her telling me when I was quite young, how lady-like it was to wear a hat. She always had a hat to match whatever she had on… some were unassuming; others had bright bands of ribbon, large flowers, or extremely wide brims. It didn’t matter where she was going, she ALWAYS had a hat when she left home… whether she was working in the yard, fishing, shopping with her lady friends, or going to a Dr. appt… and DEFINATELY to church!
When her health was still good, she attended church regularly. religion was a very important part of her life, even after she was unable to attend services. She read from the bible regularly, and recited verses to herself when she was alone. I think the church not only supported her SPIRITUALLY, but also SOCIALLY. Visiting and talking with others was such a joy to Grandma that many times it was hard to get away!
A couple years ago after she was house-bound, a door-to-door Jehovah Witness happened to show up on her step. She proceeded to let him in to see what he had to say. She didn’t listen long, and then he got a full sermon from HER bible…. from HER perspective of Lord’s Word. Basically, she was determined to CONVERT him to seeing things HER way… the RIGHT way. The poor man TRIED to leave, but she got her scooter between him and the door and continued on. Of course, by the time I got there, he had escaped… but Grandma SWORE that she made an impression on him and that he left questioning his original beliefs!
Having been preached to myself, I have no doubt that is quite possible. Grandma always had very strong faith in the Word. One that I know she lived by, because she told me repeatedly, was from Corinthians…about your body being the temple of God. So she took extreme care of that temple by growing her own organic vegetables, fruits and herbs… Cooking and canning fresh foods was of utmost importance to keep her temple strong.
I’m sure ALL of you are aware of the time and energy she spent caring for her gardens, flowers and trees. She could make ANYTHING grow! And when she did, if it wasn’t eaten fresh… she dried it, canned it, or froze it. Last year, she took the seeds from an ordinary lemon from the store… and grew 3 lemon trees in her front window! Anywhere she happened to be, if she saw a plant that she liked, she would either dig it up to transplant at home, or collect seeds to start. I still find cans and envelopes labeled with some exotic item she came across years ago or wild flower seeds she collected while at a lake or river bank fishing.
Fishing was also a big part of her life… and because of that; it became a big part of mine. When I was little, she and grandpa would take me fishing at Black Hawk Lake every day when they finished the chores. It wasn’t just the fishing, it was being outside in the fresh air, appreciating all the beauty nature had to offer, and enjoying the quiet, simple pleasures.
Grandma DID enjoy the simple pleasures of life… fresh asparagus in the spring, roses blooming, watching the birds, and being awake before the sun.
She lived a very long and full life. There were bad times she endured that only made her stronger… but the wealth of good times stayed with her to the end. There were few regrets Grandma had about leaving this world when the time came. She not only hoped to break the 100 year mark and be here for the birth of at least the FIRST born of EACH of our kids. but she wanted to see her OWN birth recorded in the Groundhog Day Birthday Club in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. And most recently, she DESPERATELY wanted to see her lemon trees bear lemons and new apple trees get apples.
My Grandmother was no saint …..no perfect angel; there were times when she could be DARNED AGGRIVATING! She was VERY strong willed. She COULD be very demanding and pushy… But if anyone saying goodbye to my grandmother has absorbed even a FRACTION of her knowledge, determination, enthusiasm or zest for life, then she has done what God sent here to do.
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This doesn’t even scratch the surface of who she was and what her life was all about. There is SO much more about Eleanor, so MANY memorable moments that I was never aware of that she shared with each of you and everyone else whose life she touched. I have no doubt that she will NEVER be forgotten, and that her stories and tales of her antics will be told and passed down for many years to come.
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