Maude White

100 years is quite a life to celebrate, so many changes. The fourth of seven children, Maude Handley White was born November 21, 1913. She was born at home on their family Iowa farm. Her stories of farm life in the 20s and 30s are treasures to remember: sleigh rides in the deep snow over the farm fences, boxes of baby chicks to raise in their new hen house, feeding farm hands during harvest season, canning vegetables in August without fans to cool, riding every horse on the farm, being chased through a field by a bull, sleeping in one bed with two sisters, walking 1 1/2 miles to school, riding horses bareback and outhouses in the cold winters. At the age of 20 she remembers their house being wired with electricity. After graduating from high school she became a teacher at a one room school house teaching students in grades 1 through 8, two of whom were her own brother and sister.

On a blind date set-up by a cousin, she met our father Marion C White. Because of the depression they eloped to Warsaw, Missouri, in 1941 to get married and in 1942 he went off to war. They were married for 64 years. After the war they started both a business, White's Electric and Appliance store, and a family - son Merle and daughter Miriam. Maude and husband Marion, were former residents of Casey, IA. In 1958 they decided on a new career path and moved to northern Minnesota and lived there till 2004.

Maude has always been a Methodist. Her grandfather donated land from the family farm to start Highland Methodist church which served over 100 years. As children they celebrated Christmases at the church with candles on the branches and toys that would be handed out to the children. Men would sit on one side of the aisle and women on the other.

Maude was a leader in many women's groups, enjoyed hobbies, friends and took up oil painting and golf in her later years. But her family was her greatest joy.

She passed away in Carmel, Indiana, on May 4, 2014, surrounded by family. A Memorial Service was held on May 10, 2014, at St. Mark's United Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband Marion Carroll White, her parents and her brothers and sisters. She is survived by children, Merle (Darlene) White and Miriam (Donald) Taylor, five grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Her kind-hearted way and happy smile will be greatly missed.

A gathering will be held with on Saturday, June 14, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. with a memorial service at 11:00 a.m., both at The First United Methodist Church in Anita, Iowa, followed by a committal service in the Evergreen Cemetery in Anita, Iowa.

Lunch will be served in the First United Methodist Church fellowship hall following the committal service.