Elaine Widdowson Speicher

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Research of Cheryl Chatfield on ancestry.com

araminta@hughes.net on www.ancestry.com

Find A Grave Memorial 135358924
Elaine Widdowson (Speicher) Straw passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 31, 2014 at Golden Living Center in Ashland. She was born on December 20,1924 in Ashland, Wisconsin, the daughter of Dr. Earl E. and Mary A. (Widdowson) Speicher.
She was a Congregational member of the United Presbyterian / Congregational Church and taught Sunday School for many years. She graduated from Ashland High School, received a B.A. degree in Biology from Northland College, and a M.A. in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Elaine worked as a librarian at the University of Wisconsin - Stout, married, and eventually returned to Ashland to raise her family and work as a part time librarian at Northland College.
She loved her work as an elementary school librarian in the Ashland School District at Wilmarth, Beaser, Ellis, and Marengo Valley Schools and was instrumental in setting up the new Lake Superior Primary School Library.
Elaine had a long association with Northland College beginning with her father as Dean and Professor of Philosophy, Religion, and Education for his entire career. Elaine, her two sisters, her daughter, son-in-law, two granddaughters are graduates of Northland College as well as her son who attended Northland but graduated from UMD.
Elaine was an active member of the Vaughn Library Board, involved in making quilts with the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church women for Lutheran World Relief, made over 100 mittens for elementary school students and friends, and enjoyed making afghans. She enjoyed giving away books through the Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) program in the Ashland District. Reading books to children as well as sharing the lifelong love of reading was her passion.
Elaine enjoyed spending time with her family and traveling throughout the country, especially to Somerset and Penn Run, Pennsylvania for family reunions. She loved beautiful northern Wisconsin including picking Bayfield apples and having family picnics. Her love for family was dear to her.
Elaine is survived by her daughter, Sue (Robert) Reader, Ashland and her son John (Melissa) Straw, Schofield, grandchildren Mary and Diana Reader and Aaron and Brennan Straw. She is further survived by a sister Vivian (Speicher) McQuoid of Whitewater, WI and brother-in-law, Richard Martin of Dublin, Ohio.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her sister Mary Alice (Speicher) Martin, her brother Earl Sydney Speicher, and her brother-in-law Weir McQuoid.
Visitation will take place from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 6, 2014 followed by the 11:00 a.m. service at Roberts Funeral Home in Ashland led by Rev. William Handy.
Interment will take place at Mount Hope Cemetery, Ashland. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Roberts Funeral Home.

Elaine married Donald Jerome Straw, son of Emil Aaron Straw and Bertha Lillian Thompson. (Donald Jerome Straw was born on 5 May 1927 in Jasper, Pipestone county, Minnesota, died on 31 Dec 2020 in Pipestone, Pipestone County, Minnesota and was buried in Jasper Cemetery Jasper, Pipestone County, Minnesota, USA.)