Obituary
Elsie Pauline Lange McLaughlin Schoop, 90, of Rockwell City, passed away June 5, 2022. She was born May 9, 1932, to Carl August Frederick Lange and Nellie May Newell Lange in Rockwell City. Elsie married William Thompson McLaughlin, Jr., of Manson, in 1952, and had 7 children, Carol Lee Flickinger (Robert), Rockwell City, Ia., Sherry Kay Thompson Cates (Marv), Rockwell City, Ia., Sandra Jean McLaughlin, Solon, Ia., Rita Carlene McLaughlin, Townsend, Ga., Lisa Darlene McLaughlin (dcsd), William III McLaughlin (dcsd), and Yolanda Marea Cruz Mendez (Francisco) Waterloo. She later married Donald Schoop, Rockwell City. She was predeceased by her siblings Milard Carl Lange, Wilford Mainard Lange, Ivan Leo Lange, Violet Isabel Evermon, Dorothy Darlene Grant, Alice Marie Tollefson, Elvin Leroy Lange, her husbands, two children and a grandson, William Carl Thompson.
A luncheon celebration of Elsie's life will be in the Rockwell City Library, 1-5, Saturday, June 11. Public invited.
Elsie was baptized as an infant and confirmed as a youth into the Lutheran Church of Rockwell City which her father helped build and was very active. They never missed a Sunday service. In adulthood, she was a member of the Methodist Church. As a young lady, Elsie roller-skated every weekend at the Twin Lakes Roller Rink, built by her father and his brothers. She would dance on skates when not dancing at the dance hall across from the rink.
Elsie was a devoted homemaker who championed her children and all of their loved ones throughout her life, ceaselessly giving of her time, her energy and wisdom, without fail. She made sure everyone was included, especially during holidays. Her door was always open and refreshments offered. She was known for her rhubarb cake, double-cinnamon pumpkin pie and German potato salad, now made by 5 generations of descendants.
She loved her flower gardens and enjoyed her white picket fence with beds of iris and rose bushes on the Rocky Hope Heritage farm where she began her married life. She decorated cakes professionally and demonstrated on the television show, Eve's Kitchen. When her children were older, she worked in hospitality services as a waitress, a hostess and a banquet manager. Elsie rarely missed the Ed Sullivan show, Perry Como, or American Bandstand on TV and enjoyed music her entire life. She urged her children to stay in school and get higher education degrees. All of her daughters pursued educations and managed professions or businesses successfully, for which she was proud and thankful. She loved the colors pink and red and for years had a pink kitchen and a living room with one wall covered in Chinese motif, red wall-paper. The other 3 walls were lime green. She liked color and enjoyed interior design, maintaining an organized, clean house even while working full-time. Her hobbies included scouting garage sales to buy for children and playing bingo. She lived a full life, loved by many, enjoying each day, even while in a care center for the last few months. She will be very missed.
A luncheon celebration of Elsie's life will be in the Rockwell City Library, 1-5, Saturday, June 11. Public invited.
Elsie was baptized as an infant and confirmed as a youth into the Lutheran Church of Rockwell City which her father helped build and was very active. They never missed a Sunday service. In adulthood, she was a member of the Methodist Church. As a young lady, Elsie roller-skated every weekend at the Twin Lakes Roller Rink, built by her father and his brothers. She would dance on skates when not dancing at the dance hall across from the rink.
Elsie was a devoted homemaker who championed her children and all of their loved ones throughout her life, ceaselessly giving of her time, her energy and wisdom, without fail. She made sure everyone was included, especially during holidays. Her door was always open and refreshments offered. She was known for her rhubarb cake, double-cinnamon pumpkin pie and German potato salad, now made by 5 generations of descendants.
She loved her flower gardens and enjoyed her white picket fence with beds of iris and rose bushes on the Rocky Hope Heritage farm where she began her married life. She decorated cakes professionally and demonstrated on the television show, Eve's Kitchen. When her children were older, she worked in hospitality services as a waitress, a hostess and a banquet manager. Elsie rarely missed the Ed Sullivan show, Perry Como, or American Bandstand on TV and enjoyed music her entire life. She urged her children to stay in school and get higher education degrees. All of her daughters pursued educations and managed professions or businesses successfully, for which she was proud and thankful. She loved the colors pink and red and for years had a pink kitchen and a living room with one wall covered in Chinese motif, red wall-paper. The other 3 walls were lime green. She liked color and enjoyed interior design, maintaining an organized, clean house even while working full-time. Her hobbies included scouting garage sales to buy for children and playing bingo. She lived a full life, loved by many, enjoying each day, even while in a care center for the last few months. She will be very missed.
