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Elaine Sites Lass was born May 7, 1925 in Clinton, Iowa, the daughter of Ruth Naomi Robertson Sites and John Harvey Sites, and younger sister of Dorothy Ruth Sites Carter and George Harvey Linn Sites. On January 31, 2014, she joined the heavenly choir, passing peacefully at home, following a brief illness.
Elaine's lifelong interests in music, writing, theatre, art, church, Girl Scouting, YWCA, and community service and leadership began at a young age as a student at Franklin Grade School, where she also formed many special lifelong friendships with children in her neighborhood, participated in Brownie and Junior Girl...
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Elaine Sites Lass was born May 7, 1925 in Clinton, Iowa, the daughter of Ruth Naomi Robertson Sites and John Harvey Sites, and younger sister of Dorothy Ruth Sites Carter and George Harvey Linn Sites. On January 31, 2014, she joined the heavenly choir, passing peacefully at home, following a brief illness.
Elaine's lifelong interests in music, writing, theatre, art, church, Girl Scouting, YWCA, and community service and leadership began at a young age as a student at Franklin Grade School, where she also formed many special lifelong friendships with children in her neighborhood, participated in Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts, Girl Reserves, YWCA, Sunday School, and piano and dancing lessons. In Washington Junior High School, Elaine was a drum majorette and was involved in Rainbow Girls, receiving the Grand Cross of Colors, Girl Scouts, YWCA, music, journalism, art, and drama. An active member of the Clinton High School Class of 1943, Elaine shared her talents as a feature writer for The Clintonian and the Annual yearbook and was elected to the Quill and Scroll National Journalism Society her junior year. In addition to Student Council membership and home room officer, she was elected to the Student Senate, served as secretary in the Executive Cabinet and earned leadership designations at various conferences. She was a member of the Latin Club, and served on prom, homecoming and Gateway Classics committees. As a member of Little Theatre, Elaine was an actor, student director and worked behind the scenes in Technical Club. Elaine's extensive participation in high school music included drum majorette, cellist in orchestra, A Cappella choir, glee club, girl's sextet, madrigal, festivals, concerts and variety shows. A First Class Girl Scout, Elaine was in the Mariner Scout Troop and served as co-chair of the combined Senior Girl Scout-Boy Scout Troop which collaborated on community service projects and World War II effort projects. Her devotion to church continued as a member of the choir, Sunday School pianist and orchestra member, a local and district office in the Methodist Youth Fellowship and served on the Council for Clear Lake State Methodist Summer Camp.
Following high school, Elaine worked full time and cared for her parents who were in ill health. After the death of her father in 1945, she volunteered with the USO at Schick Hospital, teaching rehabilitation walking and dancing to wounded patients, volunteered with the Red Cross with speaking engagements, helped serve meals at church for those drafted for service, arranged entertainment programs for bedridden and ambulatory patients, and participated in fund raising drives and other war effort programs.
As a student at Iowa State College, now Iowa State University, for two years, Elaine was a member of the Girls Glee Club, Iowa State Singers, an officer and activities chair of her dorm, wrote for the student newspaper, and participated in YWCA, church choir and other activities. Over the years, she took additional coursework at Clinton Community College, Iowa State University and the University of Iowa in speech, sociology and child development.
On November 15, 1947, Elaine married Douglas H. Lass in Clinton, and was an active partner in Doug's insurance and real estate business. He preceded her in death in 2003. Elaine and Doug have one daughter, Lanie Jean Lass, of Clinton. Elaine is also survived by several cousins, nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews across the country.
Church activities at the First United Methodist Church were an important part of Elaine's daily life, including organizing and directing the children's Cherub Choir for 30 years and singing with the adult Chancel Choir for 55 years. She was a Sunday School teacher and superintendent, confirmation class teacher, Methodist Youth Fellowship leader and chaperone, officer and member of United Methodist Women and church circles, church historian, Administrative Council member, assisted with special events, including the church 125th anniversary, author of church cookbooks, hostess of church suppers, and church publicity coordinator. Elaine was instrumental in helping organize children's choirs at other churches in the area, the Ecumenical Faith and Life series, and ecumenical services. In 1978, Elaine was honored by the United Methodist Women with a special life membership in honor of her continuing years of service.
From 1961 to 1976, Elaine was owner and director of Jack and Jill Preschool in their home. She was a member of the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children, serving on the state Board of Directors from 1966-1976 and as President for two years, publicity coordinator, state newsletter editor, attendee of fifteen state conferences, and organizer of four state conferences; the Midwest Association for the Education of Young Children, serving as MAEYC conference chairperson and key presenter in 1973, as well as delegate to seven MAEYC conferences; and the National Association for the Education of Young Children, serving as Iowa delegate to seven NAEYC national conferences and attendee at twelve national conferences. In 1966, Elaine was instrumental in establishing inservice training areas throughout Iowa for preschool teachers, aides and parents. In the early 1970s, Elaine traveled to Des Moines several times, a crucial time for developing standards for preschools and day care centers, and served on committees making recommendations to the Iowa State Legislature on licensing standards. Elaine met many children's television program hosts, such as Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Rogers, and judged the programs on a selected group of viewers. She continued for many years as a volunteer consultant in staff training for day care centers and preschools and led children's art classes in her home.
Elaine's commitment to education was exemplified through her dedicated involvement with PTA, beginning as Jefferson Elementary School officer and committee chair, served on City PTA committees, and as Jefferson PTA President in 1965-1966. From 1966-1967, Elaine served as City PTA President. She requested that instead of being given a past presidents pin, she asked for the funds to go towards chartering a bus to take representatives from every school PTA in Clinton to the district meeting in Cedar Rapids. In the early 1970s, she was actively involved in STAP, Students, Teachers and Parents at Clinton High School, which helped establish the groundwork for implementing programs and improving communication between school, parents, students and the community. A life membership in Iowa PTA was presented to Elaine by Jefferson PTA for her continuing interest and involvement in the concerns and interests of the organization and for activities involving all children and youth. Elaine was highly involved on the Clinton County Steering Committee for the International Year of the Child in 1979, and volunteered as a mentor in the after school program for many years. Elaine enjoyed supporting many activities at Clinton High School, including American Field Service, for which she edited a cookbook and served as publicity chair, and the music programs.
From 1959-1961, Elaine was an afternoon class teacher in the YWCA daycare center. In 1979, Elaine was honored as a YWCA Women of Action award recipient (now Women of Achievement) for her volunteer service to the YWCA and the community. Elaine has been a member of the YWCA for many years and served on various committees.
For over 60 years, Elaine has been a member of Beta Rho Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha sorority, an international philanthropic and educational organization. Over the years, she served as chapter president and all other local offices, co-chaired two state conventions, served as state publicity director, newsletter editor and parliamentarian. Along with other chapter members, Elaine participated in many service and philanthropic projects and events, from the Clinton Centennial to fundraising for local and national organizations. For many years, she served as liaison and presenter of the Jean Hammer Lentz Memorial Music Scholarship to a student at Clinton High School, on behalf of the Lentz family and Epsilon Sigma Alpha sorority.
Elaine served as parliamentarian and legislative chair for many organizations, encouraging citizens to vote. She was an officer in the original League of Women Voters and missed very few opportunities to vote. Elaine considered it vital that each citizen use their right to vote as it is registering one's own personal opinion on a specific issue or candidate. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and helped raise money for veterans through the annual poppy drive on Memorial Day weekend.
Elaine's community service touched many people through several organizations, including service as United Way publicity chair and program coordinator, supporting the Felix Adler Children's Discovery Center, member and dinner hostess of the Clinton Boat Club, member and program presenter of the Clinton Women's Club and Cultural Department, volunteering as a Girl Scout troop leader for several years, and serving on the Girl Scout Council Board of Directors for three years, participating in strategic planning.
The arts were very important to Elaine, as she was a member of the Clinton Art Association, publicity director, doing Rastrelli's Grapevine announcements on KROS for several years, and gallery guide and artist coordinator for many years in the 1960s and 1970s. She also enjoyed singing in the community Messiah concerts. In the Humanities and Enrichment Program, Elaine was an art assistant in the schools. Elaine also supported the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, the Clinton Community Concert Association, and the Clinton Symphony Orchestra, and enjoyed attending performances.
As a member of the Visiting Nursing Association Board of Directors for 25 years, Elaine served on many committees, helped write the VNA bylaws and board manual.
Fraternal organizations were a large part of Elaine's life of service, whether doing table decorations for Masonic Boosters Breakfasts, supporting the Masonic Clothe-a-Child program, or traveling with her husband to Masonic and Shrine conventions, parades and meetings. As a member of Pyramid Temple of the Daughters of the Nile, and Clinton Sewing Circle, Elaine, along with other local members, sewed items for children in Shriners Hospitals.
Elaine's Scottish heritage as a member of the Clan Robertson was of special meaning to her throughout her life. As a member of the Scottish-American Society of the Quad Cities, Elaine designed table decorations for the annual Robert Burns dinners and enjoyed attending Kirkin' of the Tartan, Christmas parties and other organization activites.
Funeral Services will be 1:00pm, Wednesday, February 5, 2014 at the First United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from noon to the service time Wednesday at the church. Burial will follow at the Clinton Lawn Cemetery. |
