Elva Lee Herman
Elva Lee Herman
Harper
Elva Lee Herman, 85, died April 20, 2024, at West Ridge Care Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was born February 26, 1939, to Russel and Mildred Moyer Eden in Springville, Iowa. She graduated from Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids. In 1966 she married Edmund Peters. Elva worked at Collins Radio, Armstrong’s Department Store in Cedar Rapids, and later Amana Refrigeration. Edmund passed away in 1971 and a few years later she would meet Myron Herman at a dance at the Armar Ballroom in Marion. On November 30, 1974 Elva and Myron were married at St. Pius Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Elva moved to Harper in 1974 and helped Myron with the farm. She enjoyed cats and needlework. She was a member of Holy Trinity Parish and Altar and Rosary Society in Keota.
Our Sister, Elva Lee, was a gentle soul, and we all felt her kindness, compassion, patience, and inner strength, not matched by many. As she was the oldest of the six younger girls, she silently helped us navigate through our early years. Just knowing she would help us in any way she could was a great comfort to us all. She loved her large family and having eight sisters and one brother was something so special. She could be in a room and not say a word, but we always felt her love.
She always helped in the kitchen for the family gatherings. And later, after marrying Myron, they hosted their own family dinners, which she was very proud of. She enjoyed all the flowers on the farm and they were a sight to see. She loved cats and rescued several that came to her farm and gave them a forever home.
When several of us were living in Fairfax, but worked in Cedar Rapids, she stepped up, took charge and she drove us every morning to our jobs, dropping us off one at a time and then she drove to her own job. We were at work always on time. Then she drove us back home at night. She never complained and felt good about helping her sisters.
She also took on the task of teaching several of us to drive a car on Hwy 149 that went thru Fairfax. Juanita was scared but Elva always stayed calm as if she knew we would always be safe. She was so courageous.
She showed compassion for her parents, who she loved dearly, by always finding room for them in her and Velma’s 2-bedroom apartment during the cold winter months. She warmly welcomed them without a second thought. She welcomed anyone who needed a temporary place to stay.
She lived a long courageous life and she will be missed dearly by all who knew her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Edmund Peters, husband Myron on April 9, 2018, sisters Velma Eden and Nelda Kiracofe, brother Calvin Eden.
She is survived by Sisters Josephine Balvin of Cedar Rapids, Bonnie Kubik of Walker, Judy Soukup of Marion, Rachel (Dean) Willis of Marion, Juanita Eden of Framingham, MA, Rebecca (Steve) Vlcko of Cedar Rapids and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral Mass will be Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at the Holy Trinity Parish – St. Mary Catholic Church in Keota. Visitation one hour before the service. Burial at St. Elizabeth Cemetery in Harper. Arrangements Holm Funeral Home, Sigourney.