Obituaries : Jeannette C. (Arrasmith) Alden

SHELLSBURG- Jeannette C. (Arrasmith) Alden, 84, of rural Shellsburg, Iowa, died Wednesday, July 31, 2013, in St. Luke's Hospital Hospice Unit, Cedar Rapids, surrounded by her loving family.

Two visitations are scheduled in addition to a memorial service. Please join Jeannette's family for fellowship and refreshments at any of these events: Visitation/viewing, Friday, August 9, Phillips Funeral Home, 212 E 6th St., Vinton, 4 to 7 p.m.; visitation/viewing, Saturday, August 10, The Church on Northland (First Baptist Church), 5200 Northland Ave, NE, Cedar Rapids, 9 to 10:30 a.m. A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church, Cedar Rapids, Saturday, August 10 at 10:30 a.m., the Rev. Dr. Jerry Springston, presiding.

Interment is at Parker's Grove Cemetery, rural Shellsburg (30th Avenue Dr.). Luncheon will be served at approximately 12:30 p.m. at Parker's Grove Baptist Church, 6612 30th Ave. Dr. Memorial funds may be directed to either church.

Born March 21, 1929, in Sanborn, Iowa, to Lloyd and Ida Arrasmith, Jeannette grew up in Arnold's Park and loved swimming and fishing in Lake Okoboji. She moved to Spencer in 1944, and graduated from high school there in 1946. Jeannette attended Iowa State Teacher's College in Spencer and then enrolled in Northwestern Bible School and College in Minneapolis. While at Northwestern, she met and married Don Alden. She graduated from the four-year college with a B.A. in 1954.

Jeannette felt a strong call to Christian ministry which she lived out as a mother, pastor's wife, Bible and Sunday school teacher, church secretary, Pioneer Girls leader, and counselor at Camp Cherith in northern Minnesota. Together with Don, she started and staffed a "Mother's Day Out" program at First Baptist Church, Cedar Rapids, allowing her to care for the small children who were her "precious jewels."

While a pastor's wife at First Baptist Church, Independence, Iowa, Jeannette worked at the district school board office as bookkeeper and volunteered at the local hospital. From 1977-1990, Jeannette served as resident director for Crest Group Home in Cedar Rapids (Crest Services), a transitional housing facility for adults with developmental disabilities related to American Baptist Homes of the Midwest. She retired with Don to their farm southwest of Shellsburg in 1990. She had resided at West Ridge Care Center since October, 2006.

Jeannette is survived by Don, her husband of nearly 62 years, and three daughters--Alice "Jeanne" Alden (Bruce Anderson), Laura Alden (Barry Sawtelle) and Ruth Alden (Richard Glick)--who live in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and California, respectively. Her seven grandchildren Andrew, Elizabeth (Douglas Flashinski), Rachel, Joseph, Abigail (Joseph Schwartz), Ethan and Andrea are her legacy, as are great-grandchildren Molly, Lydia and Nevan. "Dimples," the Aldens' terrier, named by Jeannette, will miss her, too.

Besides family, church and work activities, Jeannette traveled widely. She visited all 50 states and spent time in seven Latin American and South American countries from Mexico to Patagonia, the Straits of Magellan, and Tierro Del Fuego. She also toured Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. Jeannette and Don marked their 50th wedding anniversary in 2001 on a cruise to Alaska accompanied by 15 family members. Family took her to celebrate her 80th birthday at Minnesota Twins spring training in Ft. Myers, Florida.

Jeannette loved playing board games, solving puzzles, tending flowers, making handcrafts, and baking goodies--especially for Christmas. She passed along her mother's Swedish heritage and traditions to her family. Jeannette was a much-loved and loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and daughter. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Phyllis Comer, Dorothy Arrasmith, Norma Penelerick, and brother Ralph Arrasmith.

The family appreciates the care provided to Jeannette by West Ridge Care Center and St. Luke's Hospital.

Online condolences may be left at: www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com