Eleanor Lynn Closson Obituary

 

Eleanor Lynn Closson Obituary

Eleanor (Ellie) Lynn (Shippy) Closson of Blue Springs, Missouri, (85), the daughter of Charles S. and Esther A. Shippy, was born in Newton, Iowa, on June 12, 1937, and passed away in Blue Springs, Missouri on Christmas Day, December 25, 2022. Ellie grew up in Davenport, Iowa, and graduated from high school there in 1955. She and James (Jim) T. Closson were married in 1957. She received an Associate of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts Degrees from Graceland College in 1957 and 1969 and a Master of Arts Degree from Northwest Missouri State University in 1982. Ellie taught elementary school for a total of twenty-eight years over a forty-two-year period. She stayed home with her three sons when they were young. She taught third grade from 1957 to 1959 in Cedar Falls, Iowa; sixth grade from 1959 to 1960 and 1961 to 1962 at Geneseo Consolidated School District in Buckingham, Iowa; first grade in Lamoni, Iowa in 1974-1975; and sixth and fourth grades again in Lamoni from 1976 to 1987. She taught fourth grade during the 1987-88 school year in Missouri and sixth grade from 1988 to 1999 at Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kansas. She retired in 1999. She was an avid reader and liked gardening, quilting, Sudoku, and other puzzles and cooking. She assisted her husband with the nursery business, technology consulting firm, and with the Travis Family Foundation. For many years she was an active member of the Community of Christ Church, Graceland’s college daughter program, Cub Scouts as den mother, the Lamoni Library Board, Graceland’s faculty social committee, Kalon club, As you Like It club, and the League of Women Voters. Ellie was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, David, her twin sister, Evie, and her best friend and husband, Jim. She is survived by her three sons, Calvin (Sharron), Bradley (Amy), and Jeffrey (Lisa); grandchildren, Nichelle Oxley (Joe), Erik (Katie), Lynley, and Kenli Mei Ping Closson, Macy Douglas (John) and Lily Meline, four great-grandsons and two great-granddaughters. Per Ellie’s wishes, she will have a private family graveside service. Contributions in memory of Eleanor L. Closson may be made to the Closson Family & Friends Memorial Scholarship: Graceland University Development Office 1 University Place Lamoni, IA 50140