Mildred Lea Elliott, daughter of Floyd Milo and Osa Mae (Hathaway) Church, was born on September 1, 1933, in Yuma, Colorado. She entered into the arms of her Lord on Tuesday morning, January 9, 2018, at her Shenandoah, Iowa, home at the age of 84 years, 4 months, 8 days.
Mildred’s early life was spent on the Colorado plains. At the age of 11, Mildred and her family moved to Shenandoah, Iowa. They spent one year in Shenandoah before moving to Blockton, Iowa. During her sophomore year of high school the family moved back to Shenandoah where she graduated from Shenandoah High School with the Class of 1951.
On October 17, 1954, Mildred was united in marriage to Robert George Elliott at the First Presbyterian Church in Shenandoah. To this union two daughters, Sheryl Ann (1955) and Ronda Lea (1959), were born. Following their marriage, they made their home in the Locust Grove community. She and Bob joined the Locust Grove Church in 1955 and Mildred maintained her membership until the church closed in 2015.
During high school, Mildred worked at Spurgeon’s and following graduation, kept books for Squire Dairy until they sold out in 1955. In 1957, they moved to Denver, Colorado, later returning to Red Oak, Iowa, where she helped run the family trucking business. In 1965, she and Bob bought a farm near Rock Port, Missouri, and from 1966 to 1972 Mildred worked at the Atchison County Mail (newspaper) where she wrote and kept books. She also worked at a western store and fabric store in Rock Port until the mid-eighties. After leaving the farm and moving back to Colorado, Bob and Mildred built two houses and a log cabin in the mountains. In October 2001, Mildred moved back to Shenandoah. In 2002, she began working in the funeral industry as a funeral assistant and continued to work right up until her health deteriorated the end of December 2017 with Nishna Valley Funeral and Cremation Service.
A self-proclaimed socialite, Mildred was active in a number of clubs and organizations. Among those were the Rainbow Girls, YWCA, Extension Club, Continental Club, New Neighbors Club, travel club, crafts club, Red Hats and Rebecca Lodge. She loved to cook and entertain and enjoyed sewing, making two wedding dresses and attendant outfits for five weddings. She and Bob also loved to square dance.
Preceding Mildred in death were her parents; sisters, Neva Church and Charlotte Carlson; daughter, Sheryl Mainquist (2000); husband of 46 years, Bob (2001); sister-in-law, Barbara Elliott; brother-in-law, C. Leland Carlson; and father and mothers-in-law, Henry and Marjorie and Mildred Elliott. Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Ronda Woods and husband Curtis of Red Oak, Iowa; son-in-law, Wilbur Mainquist of Red Oak; six grandchildren, Jason Mainquist and wife Amber of Haslet, Texas, Jeff Mainquist and wife Tammy of Malvern, Iowa, Colby Woods and wife Jessica of Elkhorn, Nebraska, Haley Woods of Red Oak, and Heath Woods and Hunter Woods of Red Oak; great-grandchildren, Dalton and Carson Mainquist of Haslet, Wesley and Wyatt Mainquist of Malvern, and Ruby Woods of Elkhorn;  special niece, Carla Kirchert and husband Les of Essex, Iowa; sisters and brothers-in-law,  Howard  and Pat Elliott of Farragut, Iowa, Jane and Luther Thompson of Rock Port, Harriett Elliott of Farragut, Henry Elliott of Red Oak, Wendee and Doug McVicker of Findlay, Ohio, and Greg Beam of Missouri Valley, Iowa; and other relatives and many friends.
Celebration of life funeral services were held on Saturday, January 13, 2018, at 11 a.m. at Faith Covenant Church in Essex with Rev. Jim Ressegieu and Pastor Ted Welch officiating. Visitation was held Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial was in the Locust Grove Cemetery, rural Farragut. Memorials in Mildred’s name are being directed to the Faith Covenant Church or the Shenandoah Senior Center. The Nishna Valley Funeral and Cremation Service in Shenandoah was in charge of the arrangements. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at swimemorial.com on the web.