Winnie Mae Spring, youngest daughter of Fred and Mary Josephine Else, was born May 30, 1911 outside of Guss, Iowa on the family farm. She left this life to rejoin her family and friends on August 29, 2009.
Winnie grew up on the farm. After her mother’s death Winnie spent her high school years with her brothers and sisters, therefore she attended several different schools and was thrilled to graduate from Corning High School in 1931. Winnie continued her education with night and summer classes and one of her proudest achievements was receiving her bachelor’s degree from Drake University in 1971.
After graduating from high school Winnie taught country school for two years before finding her life partner in Clyde Spring. They were united in marriage on December 28, 1932 in Maryville, Missouri. The pair were blessed with 5 children,Clytha, Berdine, Janette, Larry, and Reldon.
In 1961 Clyde and Winnie became members of the Prescott Order of the Eastern Star. Together they traveled many miles attending meetings and functions. Winnie served as Worthy Matron in 1986, 1989, and 1990. As well as serving as Worthy Matron she held a variety of other positions in Eastern Star. She served as Grand Warder from1989-1990 and traveled extensively all over Iowa with her traveling companion Ellen Grace Brown. She enjoyed meeting up with her fellow officers who served with her and the group-who dubbed themselves the Peanut Clusters-had regular reunions. They just had their annual gathering in August 2009 which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Clyde and Winnie farmed for several years near Guss and Corning, Iowa before they purchased a farm north of Prescott in 1944 where they lived for 31 years. While living on the farm Winnie always grew a big garden and canned lots of her garden treats. Winnie returned to teaching school in 1953 and taught country school for 5 years before taking a position teaching 7th grade at Prescott and retired there in 1975.
After retirement Clyde and Winnie moved to Las Vegas, NV for two years. They decided to move back to Iowa and built a home in Lenox. After their retirement they enjoyed traveling and visiting family all over the country.
Winnie was an active member in the Prescott Methodist Church and later the Lenox United Methodist Church. She served as Circle Leader and U.M.W. President and found greeters for each Sunday’s service for over 10 years.
Winnie was an avid card player and whenever friends and family gathered she could be counted on for a game of cards. She loved to tell jokes and make others laugh. She enjoyed reading and writing and could always be counted on to have a good book on hand to share. She enjoyed quilting and made many quilts for her friends and family. Winnie was a wonderful cook and her family especially enjoyed her roast and noodles and delicious pies, especially her rhubarb and peach.
Winnie was a devoted and loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother, and friend. Her family and friends will always remember her unfailing kindness and wonderful sense of humor.
Welcoming her to her new life are husband Clyde; Winnie’s parents, Fred and Mary Josephine Else; her siblings Bessie Lewis, Erma Clowser, Myrtle Corbin, Lester Else, Francis Else, Cassie Foster, Archie Else, and Victor Else; daughter Janette Johnson; grandson Curtis Johnson; father and mother-in-law John and Cora Spring; and son-in-law Kenneth Black. Left to cherish Winnie’s memory are her children; Clytha Black of Lenox, IA , Berdine (Florence) Spring of Palm Desert, CA, Larry (Diane) Spring of Lenox, Iowa, Reldon (Lometa) Spring of Las Vegas, NV, and son-in-law Larry Johnson of Fontanelle, IA. Nine grandchildren; Janell Black, Jim (Peggy) Black, Sheila Mansfield, Raymond(Teresa) Johnson, Belinda (Robert) Lawson, Pam Spring, Tony Spring, Paul (Sara) Spring, Sheri(Jack) Shores. Ten great-grandchildren; Rebecca Weaver Armes (Neil), Chris Black, Andy Black, Paige Lawson, Justine Lawson, Bailey Shores, Logan Shores, Joseph Spring, Derek Spring, Josh Spring, and one great-great granddaughter Keira Hauser. Sister-in-law and husband Ed and Marge Naven of Lenox, IA. Also many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.