Elizabeth Randolph

Elizabeth Ann Fitz Randolph, 82, died from complications of pneumonia at Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, August 12, 2010. Born on the family farm east of Ankeny, Iowa June 29, 1928, she was the youngest of five children of Lewis and Alice Randolph.

Elizabeth was not quite 3 years old when her father died suddenly leaving Alice with a young family and the 20 acre farm to take care of at the start of The Great Depression. So, Elizabeth grew up during those hard times finishing high school just after the end of World War II. She helped her older brother, Lewis, with the farm work while also working in town at a grocery store, electronics manufacturer, savings and loan, dry cleaners and State government office over the years to supplement the farming income to help support her mother, brother and herself.

This meant getting up before dawn to help Lewis milk the 10 or 12 Jersey cows, feed the chickens, and gather the eggs. Then driving to Ankeny, Des Moines or Ames to work an 8 hour day; home to help her mother with planting, harvesting and canning vegetables from their large garden. Weekly taking fresh eggs, cream and butter to Des Moines to sell. Sundays, all went to church where Lewis was an usher, Alice counted and deposited the collection and Elizabeth taught Sunday School and sang in the choir. A Sunday drive was usually squeezed in to see what else was going on in the area. Many large family reunions, picnics and ice cream socials were attended. Just your typical farm life in the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s.

Elizabeth loved music—playing saxophone in the Ankeny High School marching band and singing in the church choir for more than 40 years. She was a life long member of the Methodist Church. Her brother farmed with horses until the early 1950s and she loved taking care of them but her special horse was Ginger, a red-haired (to match her own!) old plow horse that she kept as a pet and rode whenever possible. She was also in that group of under-appreciated athletes—playing guard on the high school
6-on-6 basketball team.

Elizabeth worked hard but enjoyed life and the people in it. She had a great sense of humor and a ready smile which will be missed by all who knew her.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Lewis and Alice (Stanfield) Fitz Randolph; sisters Erma Hawkins and Nina Weston; brother, Lewis Fitz Randolph. She is survived by her older sister Dora Amundson of Idaho; niece Karen Hawkins and nephew Craig Hawkins of Ankeny; nephew Dan (Gay) Amundson of Ohio; niece Teena (Paul) Kusche of Idaho; grand nephews and niece, cousins and friends.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Monday, August 16, 2010 at Ankeny First United Methodist Church, 206 SW Walnut Street with burial to follow at Greenwood Friends Cemetery in Ankeny. Friends may visit with family one hour prior to the service at the church.

Memorial contributions may be made to the family or directly to Ankeny First United Methodist Church.


www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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