Eleanor Ines Soetmelk

Eleanor Ines (Probasco) Soetmelk, 94, died April 2 at Westmont Care Center in Logan. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., April 5 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Logan with Pastor Jerald Firby officiating. Musicians were Dona Emswiler, Amanda Speake and Shawn Pavilk. Congregational hymns were "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say," "Abide With Me" and "What a Friend We Have In Jesus." Honorary pallbearers were Zachary Pavlik and Matthew Soetmelk. Pallbearers were David Soetmelk, Jeff Soetmelk, Casey Speake, Shawn Pavlik, Mike Laird, Josef Speake, Gabriel Pavlik and Brendon Laird. Final resting place was the Woodbine cemetery.

Eleanor was born Aug. 8, 1915 to William and Mary (Blankenship) Probasco in Dunlap. She attended rural school and graduated from Woodbine Normal School in 1931. Eleanor married Carl Soetmelk on June 13, 1938. She taught country school for several years and at Tri-Center for 23 years. She enjoyed 33 years of teaching before she retired. Eleanor kept in contact with many of her students even after they graduated.

Eleanor was a member of Zion Lutheran and Immanuel Lutheran Churches, the Harrison County Retired Teachers Association, Harrison County Historical Society, Harrison County Genealogy Society, Woodbine Fine Arts, National Education Association and Iowa State Education Association. Eleanor enjoyed volunteering at the Harrison County Historical Museum, at the Kiwanis breakfast and at the Logan Senior Center.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Soetmelk, a sister in infancy and three siblings, Wilma Park Postma, Harvey and William Probasco. Survivors include two sons, Lloyd (Rilla) Soetmelk of Woodbine and Jim (Diane) Soetmelk of Greybull, Wyo; five grandchildren, Vicki (Casey) Speake, Andrea (Mike) Laird, Laura (Shawn) Pavlik, David (Jill) Soetmelk and Jeff (Laura) Soetmelk; four step grandchildren, Ami, Steve, Eric and Stacey; 13 great grandchildren; 22 step great grandchildren; two sisters, Lillian (Murlyn) Ronk of Dunlap, Catherine (Merideth) Amass of Dixon, Calif., two sisters-in-law, Rosalie Probasco of Woodbine, Agnes Soetmelk of Logan; and many other relatives and friends.

Fouts Funeral Home

501 Normal Street

Woodbine, Iowa 51579

712-647-2221