Madeline Mae Ehlers
March 9, 1928 — May 21, 2019
Madeline Mae Ehlers, daughter of Melvin and Bernice (Zolck) Coontz was born on March 9, 1928 in Logan, Iowa. When Madeline was five and her sister Reva was two, Bernice answered an advertisement placed by Albert Zolck for a housekeeper at his family farm. Bernice came to the interview with the two girls and was given the job. It was the first real home that Bernice and her girls ever had.
Madeline was confirmed into the United Church of Christ in Minden, Iowa. Madeline graduated from Shelby Consolidated School in 1946. She was a basketball player and cheerleader all four years in high school. She also played the violin in the high school orchestra.
On August 31, 1946, Madeline was united in marriage to Donald Ehlers in Council Bluffs, Iowa and had a reception celebration at her mother’s home. They met at a dance in Minden. Donald was just returning after being discharged from the armed forces and stopped at the dance. Their honeymoon was a night at the Nebraska State Fair in Lincoln, Nebraska, where Dwight D. Eisenhower was speaking.
Donald and Madeline rented two different farms before they bought the Johnny Anderson Sr. farm. They had their farm paid for in seven years with all their hard work and dedication. In 1976 they sold their farm and moved to Arkansas for Janette’s health. They lived in Springfield, Missouri for some time and moved back to Minden and built a new house.
Madeline has always loved to dance and attended many at the Senior Center in Council Bluffs, the Eagle’s Club in Omaha and Minden Community Hall.
Madeline passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at the Avoca Specialty Care Center in Avoca, Iowa attaining the age of ninety-one years, two months and twelve days. In addition to her parents Bernice and Melvin Coontz, she was preceded in death by her husband Donald Ehlers; daughters Janette Evans and Donna Jahn; step-father Albert Zolck; sister Reva Towers; sister-in-law Gert Ehlers; brother-in-law Robert Towers and Donald’s identical twin brother Ronald Ehlers.
Left to cherish her memory, her children Larry (Dianne) Ehlers of Minden, Iowa; Peg (Gene) McCool of Shelby, Iowa; LaRee (Randy) See of Harrison, Arkansas; Sandy (Ron) Schnoor of Manilla, Iowa; eight grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.
Madeline was confirmed into the United Church of Christ in Minden, Iowa. Madeline graduated from Shelby Consolidated School in 1946. She was a basketball player and cheerleader all four years in high school. She also played the violin in the high school orchestra.
On August 31, 1946, Madeline was united in marriage to Donald Ehlers in Council Bluffs, Iowa and had a reception celebration at her mother’s home. They met at a dance in Minden. Donald was just returning after being discharged from the armed forces and stopped at the dance. Their honeymoon was a night at the Nebraska State Fair in Lincoln, Nebraska, where Dwight D. Eisenhower was speaking.
Donald and Madeline rented two different farms before they bought the Johnny Anderson Sr. farm. They had their farm paid for in seven years with all their hard work and dedication. In 1976 they sold their farm and moved to Arkansas for Janette’s health. They lived in Springfield, Missouri for some time and moved back to Minden and built a new house.
Madeline has always loved to dance and attended many at the Senior Center in Council Bluffs, the Eagle’s Club in Omaha and Minden Community Hall.
Madeline passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at the Avoca Specialty Care Center in Avoca, Iowa attaining the age of ninety-one years, two months and twelve days. In addition to her parents Bernice and Melvin Coontz, she was preceded in death by her husband Donald Ehlers; daughters Janette Evans and Donna Jahn; step-father Albert Zolck; sister Reva Towers; sister-in-law Gert Ehlers; brother-in-law Robert Towers and Donald’s identical twin brother Ronald Ehlers.
Left to cherish her memory, her children Larry (Dianne) Ehlers of Minden, Iowa; Peg (Gene) McCool of Shelby, Iowa; LaRee (Randy) See of Harrison, Arkansas; Sandy (Ron) Schnoor of Manilla, Iowa; eight grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.
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