Elaine Baese

ELAINE BAESE

Lockridge

Elaine Baese, of Lockridge, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, September 3, 2020, at her daughter's home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the age

of 93.

Elaine was born on March 4, 1927, in Jefferson County, near Glasgow, to Louie and Ethel McWilliams Shelman. She graduated from Fairfield High School in 1944, and was in the first class to attend all four years in the new high school building. She attended Parsons College in Fairfield, IA, pursuing a degree in education. Because of the need for teachers during World War II, she was allowed to take accelerated coursework and began her teaching career at the age of 18. She taught in several rural Jefferson County schools including Glasgow, Vega, Grant, and Lockridge Victory No. 8. She was united in marriage to Max Baese on August 12, 1951, at the Round Prairie Baptist Church.

Elaine was a gifted teacher and loved to read. She was always inquisitive and wanted to learn new things and share interesting facts. She was fascinated by a mysterious thing called Google that could find the answer to any question she thought of. Elaine enjoyed sewing all her life until the past few years when macular degeneration made that impossible. Whether it was mending, adding pockets, or re-inventing an existing piece of clothing, she spent many hours at her beloved sewing machine. She was truly a "domestic engineer". Being frugal and creative, she was a master at re-purposing ordinary things, not wanting anything to go to waste.

Elaine loved to laugh, was quick-witted, and could find humor in almost any situation. She was a good listener and always had a kind and encouraging word to brighten your day. She was also a vivid storyteller, recounting in detail what it was like growing up during the Great Depression, WW II, her years as a teacher, as a mother, and the vast changes that occurred in the world during her lifetime. She loved her family and she loved the Lord, always faithful to both.

She is survived by her son, Marlon Baese of Greenville, SC; her daughter, Gloria Baese of Tulsa, OK; her grandson, Zachary Baese of Greenville, SC; and three nieces, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Elaine was preceded in death by her husband, Max Baese; her parents, Louie and Ethel Shelman; and her sister, Vivian Abernethy of Galesburg, IL.

Memorial Service will be at 2:30 pm, Saturday, November 14, 2020 at the Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant. Private family burial was in the Glasgow Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Seasons Hospice of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in her memory.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com.

Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant are caring for her arrangements.