Elaine Ann (Harms) Buol
Elaine Ann (Harms) Buol
Monticello
Elaine Ann (Harms) Buol, 92, passed away peacefully, family by her side, on February 11, 2025, at the Monticello Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Monticello, Iowa.
Elaine was born on February 4, 1933, to Garriet Harms, Sr., and Elise (Schlemmer) Harms in Minnesota. Her family returned to Iowa and Elaine spent her early years attending rural schools in Castle Grove and Wayne Township before graduating from Monticello High School. She pursued a diverse career path that reflected her hardworking nature and entrepreneurial spirit. She began by babysitting many of her nieces and nephews before working as a waitress at several local cafés and as a bartender. Elaine also worked at both the shirt factory and button factory in Monticello.
Her passion for plants led her to start The Jungle, selling plants from her home. Later, she and her husband ventured into the antique business, specializing in costume jewelry, linens and laces, period clothing, and hats. Over time, Elaine developed a deep appreciation for clothing buttons and became a founding member of the Five Seasons Button Club. She turned this passion into a thriving business, buying and selling buttons from home, at antique shows, and online. In addition to her work with antiques and collectibles, Elaine custom-designed jewelry and stained-glass pieces for clients.
Elaine found great joy in nature and had an extraordinary talent for gardening. She cultivated roses, peonies, lilies, sweet peas, poppies, and hostas, and even maintained a giant indoor/outdoor cactus—generously sharing cuttings with friends and family. She cherished walking to Riverside Gardens to admire the ever-changing flower beds whenever she could. A lifelong reader, Elaine made good use of Monticello’s library over the years.
Elaine was a homebody and loved having visitors. Over the years, many of her nieces and nephews and their children would stop in to visit whenever they were in town. She loved sharing the old family stories with them, and they, in turn, were happy to hear them.
Elaine is survived by her daughter Sherri Neofotist, sons Gregory Buol and Douglas (Mihoko) Buol, her grandchildren Martin Neofotist, Amanda Elson, Shane Buol, and Elizabeth Buol, seven great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Lavern Buol, her parents, and her siblings Catherine Folkers, Berdina Steuri, Johann Harms, Lena Harms, Henry Harms, Amy Ulferts, Bernice Delaney, Laura Ambuehl, Iona Kremer, Beverly Wolf, and twins Garriet Harms Jr. and Harvey Harms.
A celebration of Elaine’s life will be held on March 29, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Monticello Veterans Hall (220 E 1st Street, Monticello, IA 52310).
Elaine’s love for nature and creativity touched many lives. May her memory bring comfort to those who knew her.
The family would like to thank the caring staff at Pennington Square, Monticello Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, and Above and Beyond Hospice for their compassionate care of their mother.
Memorials may be directed to Monticello Public Library, Monticello Heritage & Cultural Center, and Riverside Gardens in Monticello.
Online condolences may be conveyed at www.iowacremation.com.