Wilma Embree
September 20, 1922 — December 28, 2016
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Griswold Community Center
Wilma Embree
Obituary for Wilma Irene Embree (Conrad)
Wilma Irene Embree, 94, passed away Wednesday, December 28, 2016, at Atlantic Specialty Care in Atlantic, Iowa.
She was born September 20, 1922, in Edna Township, Cass County, Iowa, the middle child of Fred and Grace (Conrad) Penfold. She attended Maple Valley country school and graduated from Grant High School. She is the last of the 15 members of the Grant Class of 1940.
In 1939, she began dating Stanley Embree of rural Grant. Wilma graduated from Red Oak Junior College in 1942, and then attended Cedar Falls Teachers College. While Stanley served in the Marines in the Solomon Islands in WWII, Wilma taught school at a Stanton area country school and then at Wales-Lincoln. They were married on June 17, 1945, in Wilmington, North Carolina.
After his military discharge, Stanley and Wilma farmed in Montgomery County southeast of Grant. In 1950, they moved to the Penfold family farm southeast of Grant in Adams County. Wilma was an active member of the Grant United Methodist Church. She also enjoyed the neighborhood Mending Club and couples pinochle club. As a high school teacher, she coached girls' basketball and then taught upper elementary at Grant. She made a birthday cake for each of her elementary students' birthdays. In the late 60's and early 70's she did clerical work at the NFO (National Farmers Organization) office in Corning.
In 1987, Stanley and Wilma moved to Griswold where they became active in the Optimist Club. Later, in 1997, they moved to 800 Chestnut in Atlantic and enjoyed 18 years there. Wilma entered the Atlantic Specialty Care facility in February, 2015, before Stanley moved to the care facility in August, 2015. In June, 2016, the couple celebrated 71 years of marriage.
Wilma is remembered for her loving devotion to family and community. She and Stanley enjoyed many ballgames, track meets, concerts, and other school events in which nephews, nieces, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and their teammates participated. She embroidered many quilt blocks, pillowcases and dish towels for gifts and church bazaars. She finished her last set of quilt blocks in November of 2016.
Extended family caravans to Oregon and California to visit family and go fishing in Minnesota, NFO conventions, Marine reunions, and visiting family in Kentucky and other states took the couple to many locations in the United States over the years.
Wilma is survived by her husband, Stanley at Atlantic Specialty Care; son, Joel (Nancy) Embree of Lexington, KY and daughter, Lorna (Jim) Albright of Atlantic. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Amy (Devin) McLaren of Council Bluffs; Alyson Peters of Anita; Ann (Robbie) Atkins of Springboro, OH; and Jay Embree of Louisville, KY; and great grandchildren, Sydney and Cael McLaren, Kyler Jacobs, Elly Peters, and Belle and Keegan Atkins. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Eunice Van Eaton; many nieces and nephews; and many dear friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents; brother and his wife, Marvin and Wanda Penfold; sister and husband, Naomi and Bill Bigler; her husband's parents, Guy and Lucile Embree; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Roy Barr; brother-in-law, Joseph Van Eaton; nephews, Mark Bigler, Kent Penfold and Steven Van Eaton; and many dear friends who have gone before her.
A Celebration of Life Memorial Luncheon will be held beginning at noon, Sunday, January 1, 2017, at the Griswold Community Building in Griswold. The family has suggested that memorials be given for the Grant United Methodist Church Women's Society in care of Betty Shafer, Box 145, Grant, Iowa, 50847. Inurnment of Wilma's ashes will occur at a private family ceremony at the Grant Cemetery.
Roland Funeral Service is caring for Wilma's family and her arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.
IN MEMORY OF
Wilma Embree
BORN
September 20, 1922
Edna Township, Cass County, Iowa
ENTERED INTO REST
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Atlantic, Iowa
AT THE AGE OF
94 Years, 3 Months, 8 Days
CELEBRATION OF LIFE MEMORIAL LUNCHEON
Noon, Sunday, January 1, 2017
Griswold Community Building ~ Griswold, Iowa
OFFICIATING
Pastor Marion Sindt
PRIVATE COMMITTAL SERVICE
Grant Cemetery ~ Grant, Iowa
The family has suggested that memorials go to the
Grant United Methodist Church
c/o Betty Shafer, Box 145, Grant, Iowa 50847
She was born September 20, 1922, in Edna Township, Cass County, Iowa, the middle child of Fred and Grace (Conrad) Penfold. She attended Maple Valley country school and graduated from Grant High School. She is the last of the 15 members of the Grant Class of 1940.
In 1939, she began dating Stanley Embree of rural Grant. Wilma graduated from Red Oak Junior College in 1942, and then attended Cedar Falls Teachers College. While Stanley served in the Marines in the Solomon Islands in WWII, Wilma taught school at a Stanton area country school and then at Wales-Lincoln. They were married on June 17, 1945, in Wilmington, North Carolina.
After his military discharge, Stanley and Wilma farmed in Montgomery County southeast of Grant. In 1950, they moved to the Penfold family farm southeast of Grant in Adams County. Wilma was an active member of the Grant United Methodist Church. She also enjoyed the neighborhood Mending Club and couples pinochle club. As a high school teacher, she coached girls' basketball and then taught upper elementary at Grant. She made a birthday cake for each of her elementary students' birthdays. In the late 60's and early 70's she did clerical work at the NFO (National Farmers Organization) office in Corning.
In 1987, Stanley and Wilma moved to Griswold where they became active in the Optimist Club. Later, in 1997, they moved to 800 Chestnut in Atlantic and enjoyed 18 years there. Wilma entered the Atlantic Specialty Care facility in February, 2015, before Stanley moved to the care facility in August, 2015. In June, 2016, the couple celebrated 71 years of marriage.
Wilma is remembered for her loving devotion to family and community. She and Stanley enjoyed many ballgames, track meets, concerts, and other school events in which nephews, nieces, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and their teammates participated. She embroidered many quilt blocks, pillowcases and dish towels for gifts and church bazaars. She finished her last set of quilt blocks in November of 2016.
Extended family caravans to Oregon and California to visit family and go fishing in Minnesota, NFO conventions, Marine reunions, and visiting family in Kentucky and other states took the couple to many locations in the United States over the years.
Wilma is survived by her husband, Stanley at Atlantic Specialty Care; son, Joel (Nancy) Embree of Lexington, KY and daughter, Lorna (Jim) Albright of Atlantic. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Amy (Devin) McLaren of Council Bluffs; Alyson Peters of Anita; Ann (Robbie) Atkins of Springboro, OH; and Jay Embree of Louisville, KY; and great grandchildren, Sydney and Cael McLaren, Kyler Jacobs, Elly Peters, and Belle and Keegan Atkins. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Eunice Van Eaton; many nieces and nephews; and many dear friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents; brother and his wife, Marvin and Wanda Penfold; sister and husband, Naomi and Bill Bigler; her husband's parents, Guy and Lucile Embree; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Roy Barr; brother-in-law, Joseph Van Eaton; nephews, Mark Bigler, Kent Penfold and Steven Van Eaton; and many dear friends who have gone before her.
A Celebration of Life Memorial Luncheon will be held beginning at noon, Sunday, January 1, 2017, at the Griswold Community Building in Griswold. The family has suggested that memorials be given for the Grant United Methodist Church Women's Society in care of Betty Shafer, Box 145, Grant, Iowa, 50847. Inurnment of Wilma's ashes will occur at a private family ceremony at the Grant Cemetery.
Roland Funeral Service is caring for Wilma's family and her arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.
IN MEMORY OF
Wilma Embree
BORN
September 20, 1922
Edna Township, Cass County, Iowa
ENTERED INTO REST
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Atlantic, Iowa
AT THE AGE OF
94 Years, 3 Months, 8 Days
CELEBRATION OF LIFE MEMORIAL LUNCHEON
Noon, Sunday, January 1, 2017
Griswold Community Building ~ Griswold, Iowa
OFFICIATING
Pastor Marion Sindt
PRIVATE COMMITTAL SERVICE
Grant Cemetery ~ Grant, Iowa
The family has suggested that memorials go to the
Grant United Methodist Church
c/o Betty Shafer, Box 145, Grant, Iowa 50847
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Wilma Embree, please visit our flower store.
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