Ceola Sullivan

Ceola R. Sullivan age 95 of Fredericksburg, Iowa died Friday, June 14, 2013, at the New Hampton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 20, 2013, at the Hillcrest Baptist and Brethren Church, Fredericksburg with Rev. David Byrd presiding. Interment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery with Bruce Steege, Al Beier, Keith Suhr, Keith Benter, Bill Mulder and David Speicher serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers are Matthew Baker, Jessica Lapelis, Joshua Wakeman, Jason Wakeman, Kyle Lapelis and Dagny Wakeman. Friends may greet the family 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, 2013, at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home in Fredericksburg. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Ceola Rosalie Sullivan was born January 11, 1918, in Lime Springs, Iowa, the ninth child of Frederick and Rose (Schroder) Fisher. Growing up on a farm, Ceola enjoyed the woods to pick berries, roamed the apple orchards, swam and fished in the river plus tended the chickens, horses and dairy cows. She also enjoyed helping in the huge vegetable garden. Threshing days were her favorite as she helped her mother cook and bake specialties loving the excitement. She attended rural and town schools in Lime Springs and graduated top of the class in Aredale in 1934, at the age of 16. Ceola worked in Hampton, IA, for Purell News and Swift & Co. She also lived in Waterloo and worked for Hanson & Co. sewing cartridge belts and luggage for veterans returning from war. Eighteen years at Shawver Well Co. and two years at Beatrice Cheese completed her working careers. She married Kenneth Sullivan in 1950 in Fredericksburg where Kenneth co-partnered ownership of the John Deere Implement. To this union two daughters were born, Dixie and Angela. They were blessed with four grandchildren and Ceola with two great-grandchildren. The couple were Grand Marshalls of the Dairy Day parade in 1994. Ceola was a member of Peace Evangelical Church, later transferring membership to Hillcrest Baptist and Brethren Church. Ceola enjoyed children, teaching Sunday School and VBS, and was a Girl Scout and 4-H Leader. She was an active church member in the Ladies and Sewing Circles and vases of her garden flowers often adorned the sanctuary. She was also a member of the Garden Club and Senior Citizens group. Ceola had many hobbies including writing poetry, oil painting, gardening (vegetable, fruit, flowers), cooking, sewing and quilting. In all these areas, she expressed artistic talents and appreciation of God's beauty. She loved sharing the fruits of her labor with family and friends especially her cooking, baking and hand-stitched quilts. Many Sundays, the family spent fishing/boating on the Mississippi or trout fishing at Decorah or Elkader. Kenneth and Ceola went on several bus trips and took their mini-home to the Ozarks for more fishing and sight-seeing. Ceola dearly loved God, her family, nature’s beauty, helping and serving others. She leaves a legacy of faith and fond memories to cherish. Survivors include two daughters, Dixie Wakeman of Fredericksburg and Angela (George) Baker of Arlington Heights, IL; four grandchildren, Matthew Baker of Port Hueneme, CA, Joshua (Joanne) Wakeman of San Diego, CA, Jessica Lapelis of Clarksville, TN and Jason Wakeman of Davenport, IA; two great-grandchildren, Kyle Lapelis and Dagny Wakeman; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Kenneth in 2000; three sisters, Leta Hennesly, Helyn Gott and Vera Roesler; six brothers, Herbert, Paul, Emil, Erwin, Carl and Milton Fisher; a son-in-law, Gregg Wakeman.