Lenora Fay Delameter

Lenora Fay Delameter
1924-2024
Chillicothe, MO: Lenora Fay Delameter (Ellis), 99, passed away on March 11, 2024 at St. Luke's Hospital Hospice in Kansas City, Missouri.
Lenora was born in Lake City, Iowa. The family moved to Missouri a few years later and lived on several farms in northern Missouri. Lenora always said that her dad always seemed to move every few years. She was disappointed that she would just get established in school and they always had to move to another community.
Lenora and sister, Dorothy attended high school in Lucerne where Lenora was elected President of her Freshman class. They soon moved, however, to Mercer County.
Dorothy continued her education in Princeton, Missouri. Lenora was working as a housekeeper in Princeton when she met the love of her life, H. A. Delameter.
A courtship followed and they were married in Princeton on February 9th, 1940. Their first home was in the Princeton area where they worked on the "Doc Perry Farm" with H. A. as an employee.
WWII happened and H. A. became a soldier in the U. S. Army. After basic training he was sent to the Philippine Islands as an infantryman. Lenora then lived with her parents for a period of time, as she learned she was expecting their first child. Charles Ellis was born on December 22, 1943. Lenora and Ellis remained with her parents until H. A. returned and was discharged from the Army 2 ½ years later.
H. A. and Lenora lived in California for a short period of time. H. A. was suffering intermittently with Malaria which was contracted while serving. A decision was made to move back to Missouri where they purchased a grocery store in Ravanna, Missouri. It was at this time, November 27, 1947, that Marvin Russell was born.
A decision was made to sell the grocery store and turn to farming. They first rented a farm in the Ravanna area and later purchased a farm northeast of Ravanna. This became the first family "home".
1953 was a tragic year for the family. Lenora was expecting the birth of her third child, Leona Joyce, who passed away shortly after birth. It was that same year that a fire completely destroyed the family home. This was then followed by years of rebuilding.
Lenora was a leader in the Ravanna 4-H Club and was always there to support her sons with their school activities. Around 1958 she and H. A. joined the First Baptist Church in Princeton. They were always faithful to attend church and participate in church functions.
About 1965, a decision was made to sell the farm and for H. A. to go back into construction. He had worked part time for a local grading contractor. It was also during this time that Lenora worked at a restaurant in Princeton and H. A. worked nights at Trenton Foods.
After the sale of the farm, they purchased a mobile home and followed grading projects in Missouri, living in Unionville, Princeton, Cameron, Savannah, and Camdenton.
While living in Camdenton, they became successful Shaklee distributors, sold their mobile home, and became residents at Lake of the Ozarks. H. A. continued for a period of time working for a local grading contractor.
Around 1977 they decided to move to California as both Marvin and Ellis lived there. Marvin went back and helped them move to southern California. After working for a local grading contractor, they decided to manage apartments and worked with a local owner for several years. They decided to "retire" in Lake Forest, California where they purchased a mobile home. They became member of El Toro Baptist Church where they served at several capacities.
When they moved to California, they insisted on bringing their chest freezer, a large green recliner, and a small safe. Marvin graciously helped load everything in a rental truck and brought everything to California. They made several moves and everywhere they went the chest freezer, heavy recliner, and empty safe followed.
After living in Lake Forest for a few years, H. A. had the "calling" to return to Missouri. They moved back to Princeton and rented an apartment. They were able to rent a new home where they were able to have a yard which H. A. loved to work at. They received an award from the city for their yard. They joined New Hope Baptist Church in Princeton.
In 2010, H. A. was diagnosed with lung cancer. This was compounded by heart disease which led to surgery. Unfortunately, on June 22, 2010, H. A. passed away.
Lenora remained in the home until 2020, when she moved to Stone Bridge, Indian Hills, Assisted living in Chillicothe. As a resident, she became acquainted with a number of staff who were always sharing their love for her. She became an avid reader and read almost every book in the facility libraries. She also was active with embroidery which was a lifelong talent and was known for all of the tea towels she created and distributed to family and friends. In just the last two years she became more interested in liquid pen art and became an "artist" creating more than 150 paintings.
Lenora was famous for her baked goods and for making the family recipe "Buckeyes", a candy recipe handed down by her mother. Ellis says he would take the candy back to college with him and had to hide it to keep his roommates from taking pieces. One of his fraternity brothers years later asked if Lenora was still making Buckeyes.
At family gatherings she was always expected to bring the hot rolls and cinnamon rolls.
H. A. was always trying something new on the farm. One of his good ideas was to pave the inside of the barn and fatten hogs for market. The odor was terrific and would come into the house when the windows were open or carried with clothing and boots. Lenora said she was ready to divorce dad over this adventure, but she hung in there with him.
Another adventure was when dad made a self-feeder at the sileage pit. In principle the cattle would push the feeder back as they ate the sileage. This didn't work and lead to feeding the cattle on a daily basis. Another source of strong odors that came into the house with clothing and boots.
Mom loved tomatoes. Ellis would always stop at Costco in Kansas City on his way to Chillicothe to buy hot house tomatoes. If he didn't he would be in trouble. She also liked Casey's pizza, McDonalds fish sandwiches, Taco Bell tacos, and Murray's Buffet in Chillicothe.
Lenora was preceded in death by her husband, H. A. Delameter; daughter, Leona Joyce; parents, Ira Ellis Jr. and Vernal (Chapman) Ellis; sister, Dorothy, and brothers, Wilbur Ira, Harold, and Delbert Ellis; and daughters-in-law, Marilyn Allen and Carol Huff.
Lenora is survived by her sons, Charles Ellis Delameter and wife, Mary Lou Lambert, and Marvin Russell Delameter and wife, Corliss Delameter; grandchildren, Trent Allen Delameter, Cleveland, SC, Scott Delameter, Indio, CA, Jeanette Joyce, Clarkson, WA; several great grandchildren; and her brothers, Elwood, Rex, and Doyle Ellis.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 19 at Roberson Funeral Home, Princeton, MO. Burial will follow in Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, MO. The family will receive friends from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Association in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 316, Princeton, MO 64673. Online condolences may be made at www.robersonfuneralhome.com.