Elinor Blakely

Elinor L. Blakely, 84, a longtime resident of Lewis, Iowa passed away on Friday, March 28, 2003 at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic.Elinor was born the daughter of Fay and Marguerite (Steller) Johnson on July 27, 1918 in Hugo, Colorado. She and her family moved back to Griswold while she was quite young. She attended Asbury Country School and graduated from Griswold High School. She married Otis Blakely on January 14, 1937 in Griswold at the Methodist Church parsonage there.Elinor was a wonderful homemaker, wife and mother. She and Otis lived on and farmed the family century farm southeast of Lewis for 58 years. They enjoyed square dancing and in the more recent years visited many shut-ins and elderly friends. Elinor was an officer of the Women's Fellowship of Christian Service for 25 years including six years as president. She was also active in Church Women United. She was a lontime member of the Neighborhood Household Club and Lewis Town Country Boosters. She enjoyed playing the piano, making quilts, collecting poems, and spending hours preparing rag rugs. She was an inspiration and set good examples to all who knew her. She always had a positive attitude, smiling eyes and a deep faith in God. All who knew her have been blessed.She is survived by her husband Otis (of 66 years); and two sons, Duane Blakely and wife Judy of Council Bluffs, Dwight Blakely of Omaha, Nebraska; three daughters, Janet Watson and husband Wayne of Griswold, Emily Jobe and husband Robert of Lewis, Donna Harms and husband Larry of Lincoln, Missouri; 18 grandchildren, Steve and Diana Blakely of Omaha, Mike and Mary Blakely of Greensboro, North Carolina, Jeff and Doreen Blakely of Council Bluffs, Tim Blakely of Eagan, Minnesota, Cheryl and Bruce Kliewer of Santa Maria, California, Keith and Christine Watson of Lewis, Debra and Todd Gorden of Harlan, Denise and Brad Beeman of Ankeny, David and Stefanie Watson of Villisca, John and Laurie Watson of Griswold, Christine Jobe of Kansas City, Missouri, Deanne and Larry Knudsen of Chicago, Illinois; Paul and Maurine Jobe in Phoenix, Arizona; Donald Cook II and Angie of Atlantic, Dick and Lori Cook of Atlantic. Danette and Paul Vanhofwegen of LasVegas, Nevada; Brent Blakely of Sacramento, California and Shelly Blakely of Sacramento, California; 29 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Patricia Tye of Griswold and Shirley Williams and husband Kirk of Omaha, Nebraska; two brothers in law, Evan Perdue and his wife Audrey of Red Oak and Everett Northrop of Atlantic, and a number of nieces and nephews.Elinor was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Betty Purdue and Evelyn Northrop; one granddaughter Linda Watson; one great-granddaughter, Ericka Monet Blakely, and one great-grandson, Jared Benjamin Cook.Funeral InformationServices for Elinor will be Wednesday, April 2, 2003, at 10:30 A.M. at the United Congregational-Methodist Church in Lewis, Iowa with Pastor Sharon Guffey-Lewis officiating. Interment will be in the Oakwood Cemetery in Lewis, Iowa.