LOUISE WHELCHEL

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Louise Ellen Whelchel, 75, of Fort Dodge, passed away November 12, 2009 at the Paula J. Baber Hospice Home.

Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at Gunderson Funeral Chapel and 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church with the Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Rev. Sunny Dominic. Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday with a vigil and rosary service at 7 p.m. at Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Louise married Joel Dean Whelchel on August 3, 1957 at Sacred Heart. Mrs. Whelchel was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her children, Joel Dean Whelchel Jr., and his wife Lori of Winterset, IA, Julie Vaughan and her husband Tom of Blair, NE, Janelle McBride and her husband Jim of Amarillo, TX; her grandchildren include Jason and Jordan Whelchel, Tom, Caitlin and Danielle Vaughan.

Louise was born on May 22, 1934, the daughter of Roy and Macy Jeffords of Fort Dodge. She graduated from Sacred Heart High School and earned her B.A. degree in Vocational home economics from Iowa State Teachers College. She later earned a Master of Science degree from Iowa State. She taught in the Scranton Cons. School district before running the continuing education program for the Fort Dodge Schools. She then taught Special Education at Ames High School before finishing her career at Northwest Webster of Barnum as a teacher and counselor. She was actively involved in the National Education Association, Monican Mothers and Catholic Daughters. She held several offices and was a former president of the Iowa State Teachers Assoc.

She enjoyed spending summers with her family and friends at their cottage at Lake Okoboji.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be left to Alzheimer's Association- Greater Iowa Chapter 1730 28th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50266.