Lorene Rose Ellerhoff, 74, of Middletown, died on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at Hospice House, in West Burlington. Born in Fort Madison, on September 17, 1948, Lorene was the youngest child of William and Loretta Hellweg Jacobsmeier.
She was a 1966 graduate of Aquinas High School. She earned an Associate of Arts degree from Southeastern Community College in 1968 despite meeting and becoming smitten with the love of her life, Ron Ellerhoff, on her very first day of classes. They married one year later on August 19, 1967. They had three children; Jena (Mahmoud Ahmed) Ellerhoff of Middletown, Lea (Colin) McCormick of Mt. Pleasant, and Jared Ellerhoff of Marion.
She held jobs at Iowa Wesleyan College in the mailroom and telephone switchboard, as a Realtor, and as Secretary/Bookkeeper for the City of Burlington’s Planning Department before beginning her 25-year stint as the Director of the Des Moines County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Later, she spent 12 years as the Activity Director at Prairie Ridge Care Center before retiring. Over the years, she was involved with numerous organizations, especially as part of her RSVP Director duties.
Faith was also very important to Lorene. She attended St. Mary’s Catholic Church in West Burlington and Middletown Presbyterian Church for many years. Later, she attended West Burlington United Methodist Church, and most recently, Burlington’s First Congregational Church. She also deeply appreciated time with family and friends.
Lorene had a profound love of music. She directed the St. Mary’s Singers (later The New Spirit Singers) choir. She was the founder and Director of the Silver Singers choir, of which she was later a member. Additionally, she directed or sang in West Burlington United Methodist and St. Alphonsus Catholic Church choirs in recent years.
She loved singing, dancing, watching and performing musical theatre, playing guitar and piano, and watching movies, especially classical ones with plenty of romance or adventure. She was a stickler for correct grammar as she loved the English language, but also loved puns. She was known to handwrite flowery heartfelt letters to her friends and loved ones. She treasured her cat, Freddie. She enjoyed reading romance novels, baking, flowers, knitting, needlepoint, and latch hook, listening to music, playing cards, vacationing with Ron/family, and genealogy.
Lorene was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, parents, and brothers Wendell, Justin, and Martin (Donna) Jacobsmeier.
She is survived by her children, seven grandchildren (Braden Glasgow; Nicholas, Katie, Natalie, and Olivia McCormick; and Odyn and Chloe Ellerhoff), and great-grandchild (Nova Glasgow); sisters Luanne (Jim) Pruett, Lillian (Stanley) Helling, and Laura Hyatt, all of Fort Madison; sisters-in-law Elyce Riney of Middletown and Becky Davis of Burlington; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews in addition to many beloved friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, October 17 at First Congregational Church, 313 North Fourth Street, Burlington, with Pastors Jim Francisco and Dan Baker co-officiating.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, October 16 at Lunning Chapel where the family will receive friends.
In lieu of flowers, Lorene’s family requests memorial gifts be given toward a yet undesignated cause that was close to Lorene’s heart.
According to her wishes, cremation after the service has been accorded and entrusted to the care of Lunning Chapel. Private inurnment will be held later in Middletown Cemetery.