Elleen Wheatley

Elleen Wheatley was born August 26, 1917 to Mae Mullen and David Nelson McPherson of Leslie, Iowa. She followed her twin brother, Elywn by a few minutes.

She grew up in Leslie, attended the Leslie School and graduated from High School in Osceola, Iowa. Her father died in 1935 and for a while she and her mother lived on a family farm near Garber, Oklahoma.

On August 23, 1943 she married Wendel Smith of Osceola. He went to the Army in Europe and she joined the United States Marines and served in Mojave, California for 28 months. After the war, they lived in Iowa City and on October 5, 1946, they had a son, Monte. The family moved to Lamoni and had an International Harvester farm equipment store until Wendel was killed in an airplane crash on August 13, 1963.

On June 20, 1964 she married Maurice Shelby Eddy and lived on his farm south of Osceola until his death October 18, 1972. Elleen remained on the farm and worked at Clarke County State Bank. On January 22, 1983 she married Lester Wheatley of Marne, Iowa. They maintained both homes for a number of years until they made Lester’s house their permanent home in 1987. Following the deaths of Lester on June 30, 2015 and son, Monte on August 18, 2019. Elleen became very good friends with Nick Nicotero who was not only a close friend but her caretaker.

She was also preceded in death by her parents, her twin brother, Elwyn and her sister, Maxine Kimball.

She was a beautiful lady and a very special person. She enjoyed mowing her yard until she was 100. She was also recognized as the oldest living female Marine in Iowa. She traveled and had many friends.

She is survived by her niece and nephews: Susan (Tim) Mohr of Minneapolis MN, David (Grace) McPherson of Donna, Texas, Jim (Mary Ellen) Kimball of Osceola, Iowa and Joe (Amy) Kimball of Winterset, Iowa. She will be buried next to Maurice at Maple Hill Cemetery in Osceola. Any bequeaths should be directed to animal shelters for cats of the donor’s choice or Every Step Hospice House in Creston.