Eileen Handley

Funeral Services: Will be held on Friday, June 7, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. at the Fontanelle United Methodist Church with burial in the Greenfield Cemetery. Pastor Cathy Nutting will officiate the service. A luncheon will be held at the church immediately following the service.  

Open Visitation: Will be held on Thursday, June 6, from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield. 

Family Visitation: The family will greet friends one hour prior to services on Friday at the church. 

Memorials: In lieu of flowers Eileen requested memorials to be directed to Fontanelle United Methodist Church and all Fire and Rescue Responders of Bridgewater, Fontanelle and Greenfield. 

Eileen Anita Handley passed away peacefully surrounded by loving family at the Greenfield Manor on June 2, 2019.  Eileen, daughter of Paul and Katie (Ehm) Gross, was born May 11, 1925, on her parent’s farm north of Fontanelle, Iowa. She grew up attending rural schools and graduated from Fontanelle High School in 1943, where she received the Normal Training Teaching Certificate. On June 10, 1945, she was united in marriage to Wayne Handley at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle. She taught in rural one room country schools in Adair County for 3 years (Jackson #3 and later Walnut #2) while Wayne served his country in Germany.

When Wayne returned from his military duties, they moved to Des Moines for employment until moving to Jackson Township, Adair County to start farming in March 1948. While living on the farm, they became parents of two children, David and Patricia. After 50 years of marriage, they moved to a home in Greenfield.

Eileen was a member of the Fontanelle United Methodist Church, Carlson Legion Auxiliary Post 247, and was actively involved in various church and community activities including the Blood Mobile, Historical Society and 4-H. She enjoyed helping on the farm, tending to yard work, gardening, and sewing for her family until her eyesight limited many activities. Wayne and Eileen hosted many family gatherings, sharing good food, playing games, telling stories, and gathering around the piano to sing together. She loved her 5 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

Eileen is preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister Frieda Euler and husband Charles, brother Arthur Gross and wife Elva, and nephew Richard Gross.

Eileen is survived by her son David and his wife Miriam of Waterford, WI, daughter Patricia and her husband Mark Maeder of Greenfield, IA; grandchildren David A. Handley and wife Ruth of Chicago, IL, Jennifer and her husband Kevin Pitts of Maryville, MO, Jill and her husband Brent Stanford of Cumming, IA, Mary and her husband Jason Burgmaier of Minneapolis, MN, and Molly and her husband Daniel Kilborn of Fontanelle, IA; 9 great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.