Lennice Lucille Boles

Lennice (Lennie) Lucille Eckstrom Boles, 95, passed from this life on Sunday, August 24, 2025 at Wesley on Grand Health Center surrounded by family and caring staff. Funeral services will be held at 11 am on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 at her long-time home church of Immanuel United Methodist Church, 2900 49th Street, Des Moines, Iowa with visitation from 10 to 11 am immediately prior to the service. Burial will follow at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery in Des Moines with a luncheon at the church after the interment.
Lennie was born on October 4, 1929 in Sioux City, Iowa to Lennie Emanuel Eckstrom and Edna Astrid Matilda Hanson Eckstrom. She attended Central High School in Sioux City and graduated from high school in Seattle, Washington. On June 27, 1952, Lennie and Robert (Bob) Boles were married in Bangor, Maine. During his military service, they lived in Alexandria, Louisiana and later moved back to Sioux City, Iowa upon his discharge. During this time, she worked as a telephone operator. Their marriage was blessed with four daughters, Laura, Diane, Sally and Rebecca. They moved to Des Moines in 1962 where they made their home. Lennie dedicated her life to her family and to various church and civic organizations. She was an active member of Immanuel United Methodist Church where she was involved in numerous committees and activities including being the Chair of her Circle, President of her local United Methodist Women (UMW) group and serving on the State Board for United Methodist Women, all for many terms of office. She served on the Board of Directors of the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC). She also was engaged with Church Women United at both the local and state level, Easter Seal Auxiliary, Wesley Acres Auxiliary, Women at the Well (Mitchellville Prison ministry), Telephone Pioneers, Des Moines Garden Club, World Day of Prayer activities, birthday club at Moulton School, and innumerable other community projects focusing on the needs of women and children and the ecumenical community at large. She believed in living her faith on a daily basis and in treating everyone she met with kindness and good humor. After Bob's retirement, they traveled around the country in their small motor home visiting the extended family and giving away jars of her famous pickle relish. Lennie loved to read, especially murder mysteries and the newspaper. She was an avid collector of Precious Moments figurines and Raggedy Ann and Andy memorabilia. In her later years, she spent her time doing word searches, watching the news and after moving to Wesley, the Hallmark Channel.
She is survived and lovingly remembered by her four daughters, Laurie (Jim) Ponto of Iowa City, Iowa, Diane (David Myatt) Boles of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, Sally Boles of Story City, Iowa and Becky Whitlow of Des Moines, Iowa; a sister, Eileen Kading of Anaheim, California, seven grandchildren, Kevin (Liz) Ponto, Erin (Joe) Freund, Jason Myatt, Lisa Woodman, Rob Myatt, Nathan Whitlow and Jackie Whitlow, eight great grandchildren (Connor and Logan Woodman; Alice and Adam Freund; Lochlann and Niall Whitlow; Max and Mia Ponto) and brothers- and sisters-in-law and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother (William Eckstrom), and her husband. Bob.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either Immanuel United Methodist Church (https://www.immanueldsm.org) or DMARC (https://dmarcunited.org).
Online condolences are welcome at www.IlesFuneralHomes.com
To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Lennice Boles, please visit our Tribute Store.