Ellen Marie Emery

June 26, 1937 - November 4, 2018

Ellen Marie Emery, age 81, of Knoxville, Iowa, passed away on November 4, 2018 at the Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. Ellen was born on June 26, 1937 to Marion and Florence Hedstrom in Villisca, Iowa. Her father, Marion died when she was five years old, and her mother later remarried Fred Wallace. Ellen attended Villisca High School and graduated with the Class of 1954 at the age of sixteen. She started at Maryville College at the age of seventeen and attended for one year. After meeting her future husband, Dock Emery, Sr., she attended Northwestern College and majored in Accounting. Ellen and Dock were married on April 7, 1957. They were blessed with five children: Amy, Julie, Patty, Dock Jr., and Jon. Although they later divorced, Ellen stayed focused on raising her children and working hard to provide a good home for them. She worked in Accounting as a bookkeeper at Salem Manor in Indianola for many years, and also as a Residential Care Facility Manager for many years. She had a strong work ethic from an early age. Her children describe her as the “Energizer Bunny”. Ellen’s main focus is life was her family. She was so proud of them all. Some of her interests and hobbies included: sewing (especially doll clothes), embroidering, gardening, and going to garage sales. In her younger years, she enjoyed barrel racing at rodeos. Ellen’s wishes were to be cremated. A celebration of life, with the family present, will be held on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at the Winfield Funeral Home in Knoxville from 2:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. A luncheon will be held, following services at the Celebrate Community Church in Knoxville. A private family burial will be held at a later date at Strand Cemetery in Montgomery County, Iowa. Those left to cherish Ellen’s memory include her children: Amy (Joe) Welch of Milo, Julie (Kevin) Crawford of Indianola, Patty Emery and John Murphy of Altoona, Dock Emery Jr. and Shelene Lewis of Knoxville, Jon (Amy) Emery of Bondurant; twenty grandchildren; thirty-two great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and her beloved dog, Rascal. Ellen is preceded in death by her father, Marion Hedstrom; mother and step-father, Florence and Fred Wallace; and brother, David Hedstrom. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Ellen Emery Benefit Memorial Fund at Well’s Fargo Bank in Knoxville.