ELLEN ANKRUM

STRATFORD - Ellen Ankrum of Stratford, died Monday, Sept. 21, 2009 at the Israel Family Hospice House at Ames. Private family services will be held at a later date.

Ellen Hanson was born Sept. 20, 1922 in Viksjoffors, Halsingland, Sweden. She immigrated to the United States with her parents, Nels and Anna Persson Hanson in July of 1927. She was baptized in the Ovanaker Swedish Lutheran Church in 1922 and was a member of the Stratford Lutheran Church. She graduated from Stratford high school in 1940. She worked in Chicago, Ill. and attended Amundsen Junior College until World War II. She worked for Hudson Car Company and attended the Community State College in Detroit, Mich. for three years before returning to Chicago in 1946.

In October 1971, Ellen married Homer R. Ankrum and resided in Lake Bluff, Ill. In 1981, she and her husband took early retirement to do further research and work on his manuscript. She retired as an administrative assistant for the Northern Trust Bank in Chicago to move to Mount Dora, Fla. where they resided until November 2002, then moved to Stratford.

Ellen leaves six stepchildren, Mary and Mike Adams of Webster City; Dennis and Sharon Ankrum of Oak Park, Ill.; Peggy Fuhrman of Page, Ariz.; Patricia Ankrum of Mount Vernon, Iowa; Thomas Ankrum of Iowa City; Janet Lovelace of Puyllap, Wash.; several stepgrandchildren and many relatives in Sweden. Plus a host of friends throughout the U.S., especially dear friends, Vincent Conner of Dallas, Texas; Carol Scholtfeldt of Webster City; Janet Sonksen, Patricia Tuel, Melinda and Tom Oester, all of Stratford.

Mr. Ankrum died April 16, 2003, she is also preceded in death by her parents; brother, Henry Hanson; sister, Elvira Davis.

Ellen was formerly active in the Mount Dora Garden Club, board member of the Mount Dora Friends of the Library and was a translator of Swedish documents. She was also active in the 34th "Red Bull" Division at Camp Dodge.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Stratford Lutheran Church, 812 Tenecyk Ave., Stratford, IA 50249; Swede Bend Settlement Museum (P.O. Box 132, Stratford, IA. 50249), 34th Division "Red Bull" Camp Dodge (Johnston, IA), or the Israel Family Hospice House, 400 South Dakota Ave., Ames, IA 50014.

Write a personal tribute or light a virtual candle for the Ankrum family at www.fosterfuneralandcremation.com