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Faithe Elizabeth Walter Furnas

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Birth	:	29 Jul 1910 Muscatine County, Iowa, USA
Death	:	19 Sep 2004 Columbus Junction, Louisa County, Iowa, USA
Burial	:	Lettsville Cemetery, Letts, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate	:	41.3278800, -91.2287400
Description	:	Taken From The Muscatine Iowa Journal, Tuesday Sept. 21, 2004 page 5A Faithe Furnas COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa -- Faithe Furnas, 94, Columbus Junction, died Sunday, Sept. 19, 2004, at Colonial Manor Care Center, Columbus Junction. Services are at the Stacy-Lewis Funeral Home, Columbus Junction. The Rev. Cathy Whitlatch will officiate. Burial will be at Letts Cemetery. Visitation is 9-10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, at the funeral home. A memorial has... Read More	Taken From The Muscatine Iowa Journal, Tuesday Sept. 21, 2004 page 5A Faithe Furnas COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa -- Faithe Furnas, 94, Columbus Junction, died Sunday, Sept. 19, 2004, at Colonial Manor Care Center, Columbus Junction. Services are at the Stacy-Lewis Funeral Home, Columbus Junction. The Rev. Cathy Whitlatch will officiate. Burial will be at Letts Cemetery. Visitation is 9-10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, at the funeral home. A memorial has been established at the funeral home for Camp Courageous. Mrs. Furnas was born on July 29, 1910, in Muscatine County, the daughter of William and Nettie Hidlebaugh Walter. She married Marvin Lambert Furnas on April 11, 1931, in Rock Island, Ill. He preceded her in death in 1970. She graduated from Letts High School in 1928. Later she taught at the Strawberry Hill School and in 1940 graduated from the American Institute of Commerce, Davenport. She was employed in Mail and Records at the Rock Island Arsenal for several years, and in 1943 she and her husband moved to their farm near Letts. She worked as secretary for the Hoover Co., R. J. Dick Co. in Muscatine, Ceylon Seals and Thatcher Plastic Packaging and for several years as secretary at the Louisa-Muscatine School office. She was a long time member of Letts Methodist Church, a charter member of the Letts Federated Club and of the Letts Garden Club. After her husband's death in October 1970, she retired and moved from the farm into Columbus Junction and in 1988 moved to Bettendorf. There she was a member of the Davenport Woman's Club, member-at-large of T.T.T., Genesis Auxiliary, Louisa County Historical Society, and of the Bettendorf Senior Citizens. She enjoyed traveling with her sister, Lois, visiting many countries. She also enjoyed being a volunteer at the Veterans Hospital in Iowa City for several years. Survivors include a nephew, Dan P. Furnas or Orlando, Fla.; a niece, Norma ‘Dee' Millett of East Wenatchee, Wash.; and special friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband in 1970; two brothers, Floyd in infancy and Harold in 1970; and a sister, Lois Walter in 2002. LETTS, Iowa - What a way to celebrate a birthday!The city of Letts, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this summer, will be able to have a new library/community room/city hall. Proceeds from the celebration will be added to a large gift to go toward construction of the new building. The City Council has been talking and dreaming about a new city building for years, but a hefty bequest from a couple of native sisters will make it possible much sooner. "We are going to have a new building," announced Karen Koppe, city clerk and librarian, at Tuesday's Louisa County Board of Supervisors meeting. "We had some money left to us." Koppe said later that the City Council learned earlier this month that Faithe Furnas and her sister, Lois Walter, had left $68,000 to the Letts Library. The sisters divided their $1,390,000 million estate among 13 organizations."We received $6,600 (from the estate) last year and were told then that there would be more coming," Koppe said. "We hope to get some matching funds and all proceeds from our sesquicentennial this summer will go toward the new building." According to Mayor Jerry Kirk, the community room is used almost weekly, the library has outgrown its space and there are foundation and roof problems in the city-owned building that also houses city hall." Some people say our present building is historic and think we should save it, but I can't see putting $25,000 into an old building," Kirk said. "A new library was one of my goals when I first became mayor eight years ago."The library board met last night and agreed to move on with plans. We will pursue the blessing of the town's residents." Koppe said the City Council would discuss options at its Thursday, March 3, meeting. She said the funds would be distributed later this year. Kirk said he would like to see a groundbreaking this year or early next year. According to Charles Beck, treasurer of the Louisa County Historical Society, the $68,000 that organization receives might be put into an endowment fund, with interest used for Society needs. In Muscatine, Musser Public Library will receive $136,000."We are delighted," said Sue Koehrsen, chairman of the Musser Public Library Board of Trustees. "We will talk about it at our next trustee meeting." The Community Foundation received the largest share of the pie, $273,000. The Journal was unable to reach officials by press time today. The Walter sisters grew up north of Letts and graduated from the Letts High School. Faithe, born in 1910, married Marvin Furnas in 1931. He died in 1970 and Faith died Sept. 19, 2004. The couple had no children. Her younger sister, Lois, never married. She was born in 1917 and died in 2002. Both are buried at the Letts Cemetery. Faithe graduated from Letts High School in 1928. Later, she taught at the Strawberry Hill School, and in 1940 she graduated from the American Institute of Commerce at Davenport. She worked as a secretary in various businesses through the years, retiring after her husband's death. Lois Walter worked for Prudential Insurance Co. for more than 30 years. Memories of the sisters Helen Paine of Letts used to play canasta and bridge with the women."They loved to travel," Paine said. "They visited many countries. I don't think there was any place left for them to go." Jerry Lamp's father farmed the ground owned by the sisters. He remembers them as "true ladies who dressed fashionably." Lamp now lives in the house where Faithe and Marvin Furnas lived west of Letts. After their parents died, the sisters shared ownership of the Walter farm. Two brothers had died earlier. When Lois Walter died, Faithe Furnas inherited the entire 231-acre Walter farm. Proceeds from the sale of it and the 187-acre Furnas farm are benefiting the local charities. Lucy Bailey of Muscatine grew up down the road from the Walter's home."We were good friends," Bailey said. "I used to drive a horse and buggy to school, and I would stop and pick up Lois after Faithe had graduated." Lois moved away, but Bailey says Faithe and her husband visited the Baileys almost every night." We ate and then played cards," Bailey said. "We had a lot of fun together." She admitted they sometimes did scandalous things like playing poker. Bailey said she counts Faithe Furnas as one of her best friends. She described the Walter family as "common country people." "Both of the girls were very strong minded," Bailey said. "Once they made up their mind, there was no way of changing it." --research courtesy of Contributor #47132932

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Faithe Elizabeth Walter Furnas's memorial?
Faithe Elizabeth Walter Furnas's memorial is located at: Lettsville Cemetery, Letts, Louisa County, USA.
When did Faithe Elizabeth Walter Furnas death?
Faithe Elizabeth Walter Furnas death on 19 Sep 2004 in Columbus Junction, Louisa County, Iowa, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Faithe Elizabeth Walter Furnas's memorial?
Latitude: 41.3278800
Longitude: -91.2287400

Family Members:

Parent

William Andrew Walter

(1877 - 1972)

Spouse

Marvin Lambert Furnas

(1912 - 1970)

Siblings

Harold William Walter

(1906 - 1970)

Floyd Walter

(1908 - 1908)

Lois Marion Walter

(1917 - 2002)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Lettsville Cemetery
Letts, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3278800, -91.2287400

2. Wagner Cemetery
Letts, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3335991, -91.1986008

3. Concord Cemetery
Letts, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2994003, -91.2556000

4. Newell Cemetery
Letts, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2921982, -91.2544022

5. Kiser Cemetery
Muscatine, Muscatine County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3657990, -91.1905975

6. Cranston Cemetery
Muscatine County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3792000, -91.2506027

7. Edgington Cemetery
Muscatine County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3583589, -91.3001551

8. Ardon Cemetery
Ardon, Muscatine County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3849983, -91.1958008

9. Grandview Cemetery
Grandview, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2783012, -91.1742020

10. Thompson Cemetery
Grandview, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2633018, -91.2260971

11. Oak Grove Cemetery
Muscatine County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3897018, -91.2861023

12. Indian Creek Cemetery
Columbus Junction, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2552986, -91.2593994

13. Schmeltzer Cemetery
Conesville, Muscatine County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3580000, -91.3220000

14. Cedar-Bethel Cemetery
Fredonia, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3272018, -91.3302994

15. Houtz Cemetery
Muscatine County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4150009, -91.1999969

16. Mount Hope Cemetery
Grandview, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2374992, -91.2157974

17. Saint Johns Cemetery
Muscatine County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4199982, -91.2144012

18. Island Cemetery
Fruitland, Muscatine County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3588982, -91.1117020

19. Fredonia Cemetery
Fredonia, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2771988, -91.3339005

20. Conesville Cemetery
Conesville, Muscatine County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3867000, -91.3392000

21. Louisa County Farm Cemetery
Port Louisa, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2326470, -91.1708070

22. Hardman Cemetery
Wapello, Louisa County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2250294, -91.1862609

23. Brockway Cemetery
Conesville, Muscatine County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4063988, -91.3300018

24. High Prairie Cemetery
Muscatine, Muscatine County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4284000, -91.1660000