Obituary: Frances Morse
Frances Margaret Morse
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Surrounded by family, Frances Morse, 100 left this world onbrWednesday, March 31, 2021 to begin her next journey.
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A funeral will be held for Frances Morse on Saturday, Aprilbr17 at 10:30 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Osage, Iowa. Masks andbrsocial distancing will be required. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 6:00brp.m. Friday at the Champion Funeral Home in Osage. Inurnment will be in thebrOsage Cemetery.
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Born at home in Little Cedar, Iowa on a blustery winter daybrJanuary 19, 1921, Frances fought to survive from the very beginning. Twice shebrstopped breathing and the nurse put her on the cookstove door and pumped herbrarm to get her to breathe. Little Cedar was always a special place for Frances.brShe went all 12 years to school with four of her cousins, graduating in 1938 inbra class of 12, one of the largest classes to graduate. She went to LutherbrCollege for one year, only the 3rd year women were allowed.
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In 1940, she met Beverly Morse at a card game in Burr OakbrHall. After a whirlwind courtship, they were married on February 1, 1941 inbrChapin, Iowa. Frances wanted a favorite minister to marry her, so they gotbrmarried at the parsonage in Chapin.
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Frances was always a partner in working on the farm, helpingbrmilk cows, driving the tractor, and raising the chickens. She always had a hugebrgarden and canned food to last a year. Three children were born to Beverly andbrFrances and brought in on the operation: Charles, Mary, and Penney. Everyonebrhad a job and worked on the farm.
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Many people were welcomed to their humble farm home. Citybrcousins would come every summer to learn about the farm. Foreign students camebrat Thanksgiving. No one ever left hungry.
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Beverly and Frances retired from farming in 1973 and movedbrto their house in Osage. Frances worked at Faith Lutheran Home for a few yearsbrwhen her father was a resident there. Beverly and Frances enjoyed playing cardsbrand going to Texas for many winters. She was known for her rolls andbrpies. There was always a cup of coffee and a piece of pie ready forbranyone who stopped to visit.
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A lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, Francesbrwas active in the United Methodist Women and various committees of the church.brShe was also an avid Democrat and participated in the caucuses in 2019 andbrvoted in the 2020 election.
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Frances had many hobbies. She made quilts for all herbrchildren and grandchildren, she knit dozens of slippers for friends and family,brknit dozens of hats for the children at Ngong Road in Kenya, where shebrsponsored a child, and she collected stamps. In later years she beganbrrepurposing cards by crocheting around them. She was an avid letter writer andbrif you were on her birthday calendar, you were sure to get a card from herbrevery year. She loved her children and grandchildren.
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After Beverly died in 1998, Frances enjoyed several years ofbrcompanionship and travel with special friend Louis Ahrens, who had also lostbrhis spouse.
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In 2007, her daughter Penney and son-in-law David moved inbrwith her, allowing her to stay in her own home. Before the pandemic, she lovedbrgoing to the Senior Center to play cards. She wanted to make it to her 100thbrbirthday, and this January, she did. She continued to write letters and crochetbraround cards, right up to the end. Her presence will be missed by many friendsbrand neighbors and by her family.
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She is survived by her children Charles Morse (Jere) ofbrOsage, Penney Morse (David Miller) of Osage; her grandchildren Melissa Morse ofbrStacyville, IA, Dan Morse (Pam), of Cottage Grove, OR, Casey Payne (MagadabrVince) from Taipei, Taiwan, Elliott Payne (Lindsay Labahn), of Minneapolis, MNbrand Caleb (Natalie) Miller, Oconomowoc, WI; great-grandchildren Lexus DeMaybr(Brandon Anderson) of Albert Lee, MN, Anthony and Aurora Morse of CottagebrGrove, OR and Milia Miller, Oconomowoc, WI; and great-great-grandchildrenbrGannon DeMay-Konkel and Paisley Anderson of Albert Lea, MN.
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She was preceded in death by her parents Wilbur ClydebrElliott and Mary Elizabeth Penney Elliott, her brother and sister-in-law Ivanbrand Lindy Elliott, her sister and brother-in-law Beda and Dean Dodge, herbrdaughter Mary Morse, her daughter-in-law Joanne Bristol, and her granddaughterbrMandy Morse.
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In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to UnitedbrMethodist Women, the Osage Senior Citizens or to a charity of your choice.
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Champion Funeral Home, Osagebr(641) 732-3706
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