Obituary for Donna Eslick
Donna Eslick, 89, of Atlantic, Iowa died Friday, October 16, 2020, at the Good Samaritan Society in Fontanelle, Iowa.
The daughter of Walter and Pearl (Griffith) Watchorn, was born October 8, 1931, in Overton, Nebraska. She was baptized and confirmed at the Salem Lutheran Church in Ponca, Nebraska. She attended rural school near Ponca and then graduated from the Ponca High School with the Class of 1949. Following graduation, she attended normal training, receiving her teaching certificate. She then taught country school for a number of years.
On May 5, 1962, she was united in marriage to Clifford Eslick at the Salem Lutheran Church in Ponca. They made their home in Sioux City, Iowa in 1962 before moving to Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1981. She worked several various retail jobs throughout her life. In 1987, they moved to Boone, Iowa for a short time and in 1990 they called Atlantic home where she was employed at Burger King and was known as “Grandma Donna” until she was forced to retire in 2012 due to her failing health. Clifford died on July 29, 2002. She continued to enjoy her home until she moved to the Atlantic Nursing and Rehab for a year before moving to the Good Samaritan Society in Fontanelle, Iowa.
Donna was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic. She looked forward to going on bus tours with her friends and loved to go camping with Cliff. Donna had a great sense of humor and always had a trick up her sleeve to pull on others. In later years, you might catch her playing keno or slot machines at the casino which she really enjoyed. She also was an avid Nebraska Cornhusker fan and cherished the times at their lake lot which was most recently in Big Lake, Missouri.
She is survived by her daughters: Sue Abbe of Elk Point, South Dakota, Lori (Mark) Preston of Treynor, Iowa, Mary (Brett) Groves of Greenfield, Iowa, and Michelle Burton of Atlantic; her grandchildren: Theresa (Shane) Myres, Suzanne (Dennis) Decelle, Heather (David) Leate, Megan (Jason) Derby, Kelsey (Andy) Vandermeulen, Matthew Preston, Seth (Sarah) Groves, Samuel (Danielle) Groves, Haley (Logan) Gethmann, Sydney (Dayton) Amdor, Karissa Groves, Ryer Groves and Kevin Burton; 18 great grandchildren; 3 great great grandchildren; her sister-in-law, Pat Eslick of Sioux City, IA; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Clifford; her parents; her son-in-law, Michael Abbe; her brothers and sisters: Donald (Joan) Watchorn, David (Belva) Watchorn, Darlene (Travis) Adams, Francis “Patrick” Watchorn, and Mary Watchorn; her brother-in-law, Tom Eslick; her nieces, Penny and Sara Nell; and her great nephew, Doug Watchorn.
Open visitation will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 21nd at the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic. The family will greet friends on Thursday, October 22nd from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the Roland Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, October 22, 2020, at the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic. Burial will be held in the Atlantic Cemetery.
Roland Funeral Service is caring for Donna’s family and her arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.
The slideshow, funeral service and graveside service. Funeral service starts at 13:00.
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Donna Eslick
BORN
October 8, 1931 ~ Overton, Nebraska
ENTERED INTO REST
October 16, 2020 ~ Fontanelle, Iowa
At the age of 89 years and 6 days
FUNERAL SERVICE
11:00 a.m., Thursday, October 22, 2020
Roland Funeral Home ~ Atlantic, Iowa
OFFICIATING
Pastor Ken Sidey
Cornerstone Fellowship Church ~ Greenfield, Iowa
PIANIST
Heidi Hinman
MUSICAL SELECTIONS
“What A Friend We Have In Jesus” by the Congregation
“Borning Cry” by the Congregation
“The Old Rugged Cross” by the Congregation
“Home” recorded by Chris Tomlin
CASKET BEARERS
Seth Groves
Sam Groves
Kevin Burton
Matt Preston
Shane Myres
David Leate
HONORARY CASKET BEARERS
Theresa Myres
Suzanne Decelle
Heather Leate
Megan Derby
Kelsey Vandermeulen
Haley Gethmann
Sydney Amdor
Karissa Groves
Ryer Groves
INTERMENT
Atlantic Cemetery ~ Atlantic, Iowa
Please join the family for lunch at the funeral home
following the committal service.
The daughter of Walter and Pearl (Griffith) Watchorn, was born October 8, 1931, in Overton, Nebraska. She was baptized and confirmed at the Salem Lutheran Church in Ponca, Nebraska. She attended rural school near Ponca and then graduated from the Ponca High School with the Class of 1949. Following graduation, she attended normal training, receiving her teaching certificate. She then taught country school for a number of years.
On May 5, 1962, she was united in marriage to Clifford Eslick at the Salem Lutheran Church in Ponca. They made their home in Sioux City, Iowa in 1962 before moving to Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1981. She worked several various retail jobs throughout her life. In 1987, they moved to Boone, Iowa for a short time and in 1990 they called Atlantic home where she was employed at Burger King and was known as “Grandma Donna” until she was forced to retire in 2012 due to her failing health. Clifford died on July 29, 2002. She continued to enjoy her home until she moved to the Atlantic Nursing and Rehab for a year before moving to the Good Samaritan Society in Fontanelle, Iowa.
Donna was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic. She looked forward to going on bus tours with her friends and loved to go camping with Cliff. Donna had a great sense of humor and always had a trick up her sleeve to pull on others. In later years, you might catch her playing keno or slot machines at the casino which she really enjoyed. She also was an avid Nebraska Cornhusker fan and cherished the times at their lake lot which was most recently in Big Lake, Missouri.
She is survived by her daughters: Sue Abbe of Elk Point, South Dakota, Lori (Mark) Preston of Treynor, Iowa, Mary (Brett) Groves of Greenfield, Iowa, and Michelle Burton of Atlantic; her grandchildren: Theresa (Shane) Myres, Suzanne (Dennis) Decelle, Heather (David) Leate, Megan (Jason) Derby, Kelsey (Andy) Vandermeulen, Matthew Preston, Seth (Sarah) Groves, Samuel (Danielle) Groves, Haley (Logan) Gethmann, Sydney (Dayton) Amdor, Karissa Groves, Ryer Groves and Kevin Burton; 18 great grandchildren; 3 great great grandchildren; her sister-in-law, Pat Eslick of Sioux City, IA; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Clifford; her parents; her son-in-law, Michael Abbe; her brothers and sisters: Donald (Joan) Watchorn, David (Belva) Watchorn, Darlene (Travis) Adams, Francis “Patrick” Watchorn, and Mary Watchorn; her brother-in-law, Tom Eslick; her nieces, Penny and Sara Nell; and her great nephew, Doug Watchorn.
Open visitation will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 21nd at the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic. The family will greet friends on Thursday, October 22nd from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the Roland Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, October 22, 2020, at the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic. Burial will be held in the Atlantic Cemetery.
Roland Funeral Service is caring for Donna’s family and her arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.
The slideshow, funeral service and graveside service. Funeral service starts at 13:00.
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Donna Eslick
BORN
October 8, 1931 ~ Overton, Nebraska
ENTERED INTO REST
October 16, 2020 ~ Fontanelle, Iowa
At the age of 89 years and 6 days
FUNERAL SERVICE
11:00 a.m., Thursday, October 22, 2020
Roland Funeral Home ~ Atlantic, Iowa
OFFICIATING
Pastor Ken Sidey
Cornerstone Fellowship Church ~ Greenfield, Iowa
PIANIST
Heidi Hinman
MUSICAL SELECTIONS
“What A Friend We Have In Jesus” by the Congregation
“Borning Cry” by the Congregation
“The Old Rugged Cross” by the Congregation
“Home” recorded by Chris Tomlin
CASKET BEARERS
Seth Groves
Sam Groves
Kevin Burton
Matt Preston
Shane Myres
David Leate
HONORARY CASKET BEARERS
Theresa Myres
Suzanne Decelle
Heather Leate
Megan Derby
Kelsey Vandermeulen
Haley Gethmann
Sydney Amdor
Karissa Groves
Ryer Groves
INTERMENT
Atlantic Cemetery ~ Atlantic, Iowa
Please join the family for lunch at the funeral home
following the committal service.