Obituaries : Edna Mae (Covington) Eldridge

Edna Mae (Covington) Eldridge passed away peacefully on November 22, 2021 at the Vinton Lutheran Home in Vinton, Iowa. Edna will be buried alongside her loving husband, Richard "Dick" William Eldridge, at Bear Creek Cemetery, rural Vinton. Richard preceded Edna in death, dying on November 1, 2020. Their love story is now complete as he welcomed her to their heavenly home.

A joint celebration of their lives and love will be held at First Christian Church, Vinton on November 24, 2021 beginning at 2:00 pm. The family will greet guests beginning at 1:00 pm. Their granddaughters, Rev. Jill Cameron Michel and Rev. Tammy Buseman, along with Pastor Dick Jumper will officiate. Please mask regardless of vaccination status and observe others' needs of social distancing. The VanSteenhuyse-Teahen Funeral Home of Vinton is caring for Edna and her family.

Edna Mae was born in rural Vinton on February 18, 1930 to Carl and Nellie (Ferguson) Covington. She was the eldest of four children. After attending country school through the eighth grade, she graduated from Vinton High School in 1948. While in high school Edna met and fell in love with her soul mate, Richard "Dick" William Eldridge, also of Vinton. Richard and Edna Mae were married on March 20, 1949 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa, and to this union three children were born: Steven, Linda, and Dennis. Richard and Edna considered themselves extremely blessed to enjoy 71 years of marriage.

Edna had many interests and talents which led to many jobs throughout her lifetime. Beginning while she was still in high school, Edna worked as a telephone operator at the local telephone office in Vinton. Her people skills led her to try jobs in both retail and real estate. Her office skills led her to jobs at Washburn Equipment, Weight Watchers, and Hawkeye Tech Dental Clinic. In 1990 her dream of becoming an entrepreneur became a reality when she opened the Red Brick Consignment Shop in Vinton. Though she enjoyed all of these job opportunities, her greatest personal satisfaction came from being a loving wife, mother, and grandmother.

Edna was a faithful Christian and a lifelong member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). While her children were growing, she was a Cub Scout den mother and a 4-H leader. In her free time, Edna loved to paint, sew, and read. She and Dick enjoyed many travel adventures throughout the years.

Surviving Edna are her children and their spouses: Linda and Ken Jans of Ely, Iowa and Dennis and Lindley Eldridge of Paradise, Texas.

Also surviving Edna are her five granddaughters: Angela (Larry Pledge) Eldridge of Marion, Amy (Tammy Buseman) Cameron of Marion, Jill (Jim) Michel of North Liberty, Nicole Eldridge of Eldon, Missouri, and Kaleena Eldridge of Rocky Mount, Missouri and two step-granddaughters, Jennifer (Darryl) Robinson of Overland Park, Kansas and Melissa (Steven) Cotton of Bettendorf. In addition, Dick and Edna have 17 great-grandchildren and 9 great-great-grandchildren.

Left to cherish her memory is her sister, Shirley DeNeve of Van Horne. Also surviving Edna are her sisters-in-law: Nelda Covington of Temple, TX., Betty Eldridge of Dubuque, Nancy Eldridge of Raleigh, N.C., Margaret (Wayne) Oler of Iowa Falls, Mary (John) Heitz of Marion, as well as her brother-in-law, Robert (Lorraine) Eldridge of Maynard and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Edna Mae was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; their eldest son, Steven; her parents, Carl and Nellie Covington; her brothers, Richard Covington and Glenn Covington; her brother-in-law, Fred DeNeve. Also preceding her in death are her parents-in-law, William and Amber (Hummel) Eldridge; her sister-in-law, Dorothy Gilroy; and her brothers-in-law, Joe Eldridge, Maurice Gilroy, and Donald Eldridge.

The family would like to thank the staff of the Vinton Lutheran Home for their compassionate care of Edna and her family during this time. Deep appreciation and respect also goes to her longtime doctor, Dr. Brian Meeker of Vinton.

Memorials may be given in Edna's name to Vinton Lutheran Home, 1301 2nd Avenue, Vinton or to First Christian Church, 1209 W. 13th Street, Vinton. Condolences may be sent to her family in care of the funeral home or they may be posted on the funeral home website at www.teahenfuneralhome.com