Memorial Services for Ottolene Downs, 102, of Grand Junction will be 2:00 pm Saturday, January 16, 2010 at the First Presbyterian Church in Grand Junction. Visitation with the family will be 1 hour prior to the service at the First Presbyterian Church, Grand Junction. Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa at a later date.
Ottolene Ruth West Downs was born November 25, 1907 at Ticonic, Iowa, the daughter of James C. West and Lora Elizabeth Forker West, the oldest of three children with brothers Otto West and Elbert West. She attended school in Onawa with a perfect attendance record. In preparation for teaching school she elected normal training in high school. She attended college briefly. A strict disciplinarian, she kept order in a multi-grade, 1 through 8, country school with boys much larger than she. She taught there for several years through the great depression receiving warrants sometimes instead of cash for her services.
After a 4 year courtship, she married Frank Downs, Jr., on June 18, 1931 in Monona County where Frank briefly ran a gas station. They then moved to a farm they rented and then purchased a farm, both at Bronson, Iowa. In 1967 they moved to a country home near Rippey to be near their daughters. Ottolene moved to Grand Junction after Frank died and then in 2005 she moved to Regency Park in Jefferson.
Ottolene helped start the hot lunch program in the Bronson school, served as 4-H committeeman, PTA officer, and was active in her church's women's organization where she looked forward eagerly to the frequent quilting sessions. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, crocheting, repairing work clothes, tailoring and crafts.
She will be remembered as a tough, resilient woman who weathered the years of the great depression caring for her family and helping with the farm. Her husband taught her how to cook as she spent her early years helping her father with planting and harvest. Like her farm women peers of that age, she managed without electricity when wind power pumped the water and wood was energy source of heating the home and cooking. The chicken house served as refrigerator for a daily supply of meat for family and hired help.
She is survived by daughter Lora Lynnette Downs Holz (Robert) of Jefferson, Iowa, and LaVaras Eloise Jewett (Jim) of Grand Junction, Iowa; granddaughter Kristi Holz (Don Hansen) of Afton, Iowa, and her son Luke Edwards of Afton, Iowa; granddaughter Robin Holz Searles of Altoona, Iowa, and her daughters Cali Searles of Des Moines, Iowa and Cathy Searles of Altoona, Iowa; granddaughter Julie Holz Breshears (Joe) of Davis City, Iowa, great granddaughter Tsisna, great grandsons Shaynee and Neshama; grandson Jeffery Myron Jewett (Barbara) of Mahomet, Illinois, great granddaughter Jessica Jewett, Iowa City, Iowa, great grandson Jason Jewett of Wichita, Kansas, granddaughter Jame Rehak (Jerry), Williston, North Dakota, great grandsons Justin and Parker, and great granddaughter Kaitlyn.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Ottolene Downs please visit our Sympathy Store.
Ottolene Ruth West Downs was born November 25, 1907 at Ticonic, Iowa, the daughter of James C. West and Lora Elizabeth Forker West, the oldest of three children with brothers Otto West and Elbert West. She attended school in Onawa with a perfect attendance record. In preparation for teaching school she elected normal training in high school. She attended college briefly. A strict disciplinarian, she kept order in a multi-grade, 1 through 8, country school with boys much larger than she. She taught there for several years through the great depression receiving warrants sometimes instead of cash for her services.
After a 4 year courtship, she married Frank Downs, Jr., on June 18, 1931 in Monona County where Frank briefly ran a gas station. They then moved to a farm they rented and then purchased a farm, both at Bronson, Iowa. In 1967 they moved to a country home near Rippey to be near their daughters. Ottolene moved to Grand Junction after Frank died and then in 2005 she moved to Regency Park in Jefferson.
Ottolene helped start the hot lunch program in the Bronson school, served as 4-H committeeman, PTA officer, and was active in her church's women's organization where she looked forward eagerly to the frequent quilting sessions. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, crocheting, repairing work clothes, tailoring and crafts.
She will be remembered as a tough, resilient woman who weathered the years of the great depression caring for her family and helping with the farm. Her husband taught her how to cook as she spent her early years helping her father with planting and harvest. Like her farm women peers of that age, she managed without electricity when wind power pumped the water and wood was energy source of heating the home and cooking. The chicken house served as refrigerator for a daily supply of meat for family and hired help.
She is survived by daughter Lora Lynnette Downs Holz (Robert) of Jefferson, Iowa, and LaVaras Eloise Jewett (Jim) of Grand Junction, Iowa; granddaughter Kristi Holz (Don Hansen) of Afton, Iowa, and her son Luke Edwards of Afton, Iowa; granddaughter Robin Holz Searles of Altoona, Iowa, and her daughters Cali Searles of Des Moines, Iowa and Cathy Searles of Altoona, Iowa; granddaughter Julie Holz Breshears (Joe) of Davis City, Iowa, great granddaughter Tsisna, great grandsons Shaynee and Neshama; grandson Jeffery Myron Jewett (Barbara) of Mahomet, Illinois, great granddaughter Jessica Jewett, Iowa City, Iowa, great grandson Jason Jewett of Wichita, Kansas, granddaughter Jame Rehak (Jerry), Williston, North Dakota, great grandsons Justin and Parker, and great granddaughter Kaitlyn.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Ottolene Downs please visit our Sympathy Store.
Memorial Services for Ottolene Downs, 102, of Grand Junction will be 2:00 pm Saturday, January 16, 2010 at the First Presbyterian Church in Grand Junction. Visitation with the family will be 1 hour prior to the service at the First Presbyterian Church, Grand Junction. Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa at a later date.
Ottolene Ruth West Downs was born November 25, 1907 at Ticonic, Iowa, the daughter of James C. West and Lora Elizabeth Forker West, the oldest of three children with brothers Otto West and Elbert West. She attended school in Onawa with a perfect attendance record. In preparation for teaching school she elected normal training in high school. She attended college briefly. A strict disciplinarian, she kept order in a multi-grade, 1 through 8, country school with boys much larger than she. She taught there for several years through the great depression receiving warrants sometimes instead of cash for her services.
After a 4 year courtship, she married Frank Downs, Jr., on June 18, 1931 in Monona County where Frank briefly ran a gas station. They then moved to a farm they rented and then purchased a farm, both at Bronson, Iowa. In 1967 they moved to a country home near Rippey to be near their daughters. Ottolene moved to Grand Junction after Frank died and then in 2005 she moved to Regency Park in Jefferson.
Ottolene helped start the hot lunch program in the Bronson school, served as 4-H committeeman, PTA officer, and was active in her church's women's organization where she looked forward eagerly to the frequent quilting sessions. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, crocheting, repairing work clothes, tailoring and crafts.
She will be remembered as a tough, resilient woman who weathered the years of the great depression caring for her family and helping with the farm. Her husband taught her how to cook as she spent her early years helping her father with planting and harvest. Like her farm women peers of that age, she managed without electricity when wind power pumped the water and wood was energy source of heating the home and cooking. The chicken house served as refrigerator for a daily supply of meat for family and hired help.
She is survived by daughter Lora Lynnette Downs Holz (Robert) of Jefferson, Iowa, and LaVaras Eloise Jewett (Jim) of Grand Junction, Iowa; granddaughter Kristi Holz (Don Hansen) of Afton, Iowa, and her son Luke Edwards of Afton, Iowa; granddaughter Robin Holz Searles of Altoona, Iowa, and her daughters Cali Searles of Des Moines, Iowa and Cathy Searles of Altoona, Iowa; granddaughter Julie Holz Breshears (Joe) of Davis City, Iowa, great granddaughter Tsisna, great grandsons Shaynee and Neshama; grandson Jeffery Myron Jewett (Barbara) of Mahomet, Illinois, great granddaughter Jessica Jewett, Iowa City, Iowa, great grandson Jason Jewett of Wichita, Kansas, granddaughter Jame Rehak (Jerry), Williston, North Dakota, great grandsons Justin and Parker, and great granddaughter Kaitlyn.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Ottolene Downs please visit our Sympathy Store.
Ottolene Ruth West Downs was born November 25, 1907 at Ticonic, Iowa, the daughter of James C. West and Lora Elizabeth Forker West, the oldest of three children with brothers Otto West and Elbert West. She attended school in Onawa with a perfect attendance record. In preparation for teaching school she elected normal training in high school. She attended college briefly. A strict disciplinarian, she kept order in a multi-grade, 1 through 8, country school with boys much larger than she. She taught there for several years through the great depression receiving warrants sometimes instead of cash for her services.
After a 4 year courtship, she married Frank Downs, Jr., on June 18, 1931 in Monona County where Frank briefly ran a gas station. They then moved to a farm they rented and then purchased a farm, both at Bronson, Iowa. In 1967 they moved to a country home near Rippey to be near their daughters. Ottolene moved to Grand Junction after Frank died and then in 2005 she moved to Regency Park in Jefferson.
Ottolene helped start the hot lunch program in the Bronson school, served as 4-H committeeman, PTA officer, and was active in her church's women's organization where she looked forward eagerly to the frequent quilting sessions. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, crocheting, repairing work clothes, tailoring and crafts.
She will be remembered as a tough, resilient woman who weathered the years of the great depression caring for her family and helping with the farm. Her husband taught her how to cook as she spent her early years helping her father with planting and harvest. Like her farm women peers of that age, she managed without electricity when wind power pumped the water and wood was energy source of heating the home and cooking. The chicken house served as refrigerator for a daily supply of meat for family and hired help.
She is survived by daughter Lora Lynnette Downs Holz (Robert) of Jefferson, Iowa, and LaVaras Eloise Jewett (Jim) of Grand Junction, Iowa; granddaughter Kristi Holz (Don Hansen) of Afton, Iowa, and her son Luke Edwards of Afton, Iowa; granddaughter Robin Holz Searles of Altoona, Iowa, and her daughters Cali Searles of Des Moines, Iowa and Cathy Searles of Altoona, Iowa; granddaughter Julie Holz Breshears (Joe) of Davis City, Iowa, great granddaughter Tsisna, great grandsons Shaynee and Neshama; grandson Jeffery Myron Jewett (Barbara) of Mahomet, Illinois, great granddaughter Jessica Jewett, Iowa City, Iowa, great grandson Jason Jewett of Wichita, Kansas, granddaughter Jame Rehak (Jerry), Williston, North Dakota, great grandsons Justin and Parker, and great granddaughter Kaitlyn.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Ottolene Downs please visit our Sympathy Store.
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