Ethel Viola Gudmonson
February 20, 1924 — November 10, 2007
Ethel Viola Gudmonson
FOREST CITY - Ethel Viola Gudmonson, age 83 of Forest City, died Saturday, November 10, 2007 at Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City, Iowa.
Funeral service will be Saturday, November 17, 2007 at 2:00 PM at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City with Pastor Barb Spaulding officiating. Burial will be at Forest Home Cemetery in Leland, Iowa.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 PM on Friday, November 16 at the funeral home and an hour prior to service at the church.
The obituary was written by Ethel's granddaughter Rebecca.
"If you've ever been lucky enough to have a perfect piece of banana creme pie, a cup of vegetable beef soup at Denny's Cafe, or been at a picnic with awesome potato salad, then you probably know my grandma.
While she's probably best known for her gift of cooking, most important to her was her family. Ethel Viola Brown was born on February 20, 1924 on the family farm in Mount Valley township. She grew up in a boisterous home of seven kids and all of the adventure of a farm.
One of the happiest days of my grandma's life happened on a cold January day in 1942. In a simple ceremony surrounded by family, Grandma became Mrs. Marlyn Gudmonson.
Grandpa and Grandma worked hard on their farm near Leland. Grandpa was so proud when he bought the first John Deere No. 45 Self-Propelled Picker-Sheller Combine of the area in 1958. They welcomed Marvin Gary and Ellen Marie to make their family complete.
When Grandpa died unexpectedly at the young age of 49, leaving my grandma with two young children to raise, she faced it like she did every challenge in life: with courage. It was her faith, her family and friends, and her strong determination to live life the best that she could that saw her through.
That same strong spirit led Grandma across the country on dozens of bus tours. She even went all the way to Alaska to see grizzly bears, wild elk, and Mt. McKinley with her own eyes. She excitedly told us about flying in a jet, riding on a train, and sailing on an oceanliner all in the same trip.
Now that Grandma has gone to Heaven, we will cherish the memories of her fluffy mashed potatoes, her green outfits for which my brother nicknamed her "Green Grandma", and especially her joy of watching my cousin Makenzie Jo grow, play and twirl in her dresses.
Grandma will be remembered by her four siblings: Ruby Thompson of Baldwin, Wiconson; Lola Hockenson of Woodville, Wisconsin; Eva Mae Anderson of Altoona, Iowa and Allen Brown and wife Clarice of Leland, Iowa; her son Marvin and his wife Tammy of Leland and their daughter Makenzie Jo; her daughter Ellen and her husband Wayne Helland of Scarville and their children Ben and me, Rebecca, of Pella, Iowa.
She was welcomed to Heaven by her beloved husband Marlyn, siblings Vera Hanna and Gene Brown, and her parents Emery and Hannah (Anderson) Brown."
Funeral service will be Saturday, November 17, 2007 at 2:00 PM at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City with Pastor Barb Spaulding officiating. Burial will be at Forest Home Cemetery in Leland, Iowa.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 PM on Friday, November 16 at the funeral home and an hour prior to service at the church.
The obituary was written by Ethel's granddaughter Rebecca.
"If you've ever been lucky enough to have a perfect piece of banana creme pie, a cup of vegetable beef soup at Denny's Cafe, or been at a picnic with awesome potato salad, then you probably know my grandma.
While she's probably best known for her gift of cooking, most important to her was her family. Ethel Viola Brown was born on February 20, 1924 on the family farm in Mount Valley township. She grew up in a boisterous home of seven kids and all of the adventure of a farm.
One of the happiest days of my grandma's life happened on a cold January day in 1942. In a simple ceremony surrounded by family, Grandma became Mrs. Marlyn Gudmonson.
Grandpa and Grandma worked hard on their farm near Leland. Grandpa was so proud when he bought the first John Deere No. 45 Self-Propelled Picker-Sheller Combine of the area in 1958. They welcomed Marvin Gary and Ellen Marie to make their family complete.
When Grandpa died unexpectedly at the young age of 49, leaving my grandma with two young children to raise, she faced it like she did every challenge in life: with courage. It was her faith, her family and friends, and her strong determination to live life the best that she could that saw her through.
That same strong spirit led Grandma across the country on dozens of bus tours. She even went all the way to Alaska to see grizzly bears, wild elk, and Mt. McKinley with her own eyes. She excitedly told us about flying in a jet, riding on a train, and sailing on an oceanliner all in the same trip.
Now that Grandma has gone to Heaven, we will cherish the memories of her fluffy mashed potatoes, her green outfits for which my brother nicknamed her "Green Grandma", and especially her joy of watching my cousin Makenzie Jo grow, play and twirl in her dresses.
Grandma will be remembered by her four siblings: Ruby Thompson of Baldwin, Wiconson; Lola Hockenson of Woodville, Wisconsin; Eva Mae Anderson of Altoona, Iowa and Allen Brown and wife Clarice of Leland, Iowa; her son Marvin and his wife Tammy of Leland and their daughter Makenzie Jo; her daughter Ellen and her husband Wayne Helland of Scarville and their children Ben and me, Rebecca, of Pella, Iowa.
She was welcomed to Heaven by her beloved husband Marlyn, siblings Vera Hanna and Gene Brown, and her parents Emery and Hannah (Anderson) Brown."
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