Eleanor Lee Sheer

Eleanor Lee was born at home on the farm in Sac County, Iowa, on July 14, 1925, the middle child of Jesse and Ruth E. (Wager) Shannon. She grew up on the family farm, attending country school for 8 years and graduating from Sac City High School in 1942. Ellie attended Christian Columbia Women's College in Columbia, Missouri from 1942 -1944, receiving her teaching certificate. She taught High School Clerical Studies in Bagley, Minburn and Rutland and was Principal at Minburn, all in Iowa. She also attended University of Northern Iowa. On October 1, 1949 Eleanor was united in marriage to William Francis Jackson (of Minburn) in Omaha, NE and to this union one child was born Carol Lee Jackson. Eleanor and Carol moved to Perry, Iowa in 1960 where Eleanor worked for Shirley, Smith & Soumas Law Firm as a Legal Secretary. On May 6, 1965 Eleanor married Harold (Pete) Sheer and moved to Bayard, Iowa, where she spent the remainder of her years until she entered Thomas Rest Haven following a broken hip in May of 2011. Ellie was a member of the Methodist Church in Bayard and worked various jobs around Bayard. She worked for Farmer's Coop Elevator in the fertilizer department and bookkeeping from 1973-1990. She also worked as a waitress for local cafes, walked beans in the summer months, and helped at Ohde Funeral Home. For the past 10 years Ellie kept the books for Highland Township Cemetery. Ellie loved to ride horses. She rode her Palomino (Roddy) as a teen growing up on the farm and in county horse shows. She chose Christian College for Women in Missouri because they offered a professional riding program. Ellie also rode in horse shows at the National level. At age 72 she mounted a horse on her own and enjoyed a trail ride along with her grandchildren vacationing in Arizona. Ellie also enjoyed dancing, making scrapbooks, talking politics & world news, baking cookies for her grandchildren and was a huge fan of Elvis Presley. Ellie remained at the Thomas Rest Haven after her broken hip and died there on July 17, 2012 at the age of 87 years and 3 days. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother Jack Shannon of Clarksdale, MS; a brother Alec, as a child; and sister and brother in-law Margie and Bill Roberts of Manson, Iowa. Ellie is survived by her daughter Carol and her husband Dirk Cavanaugh of Atyrau, Kazakhstan; three grandchildren Kelly, Matthew and Emily Cavanaugh of Iowa and California; a sister-in-law Francis Shannon of Clarksdale, MS; six nieces and one nephew from Iowa, Texas and Mississippi; many friends and the beloved family dog Ronaldo who Ellie adored. Funeral services for Eleanor L. Sheer (87 years) of Bayard will be held on Saturday, July 28, 2012 at 10:00 am at the Ohde Funeral Home in Bayard. Friends may call on Saturday, July 28 from 9 am until the time of the funeral service. Ellie died Tuesday evening, July 17, 2012 at the Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids. She is survived by her daughter, Carol Cavanaugh (Dirk) of Perry; 3 grandchildren; sister in law Frances Shannon of Clarksville, MS; neices, nephews, other relatives and friends.