The Life of MILDRED ELLEN ZELIADT

After a year of working for the State of Iowa Board of Control, she and Francis were married and moved to the Zeliadt family farm in Norwalk.  Mildred was not cut out to be a farm wife and after a few bouts with some unfriendly attack chickens, she convinced Fran to move back to town.

They built a home on Southwest Fifth Street where they lived for 62 years and raised their family.  They were close to being empty nesters with the first two of three children living on their own when Mildred received startling health news….. cancer!  After surgery was successful and her health was restored, Mildred thought she must have been saved for a reason.  They went on to adopt two daughters from Korea and raise a second family. 

Mildred started making bibs for newborns which led to volunteering at the Methodist Hospital Gift shop for many years and over 6500 hours.

Mildred’s talent with the piano, led to a neighbor asking if she would give lessons to her child. Word of mouth spread and Mildred taught piano and organ to generations of children and adults until she was 75.  For over 60 years, into her 80’s, she played the piano and organ at three Des Moines churches.  She was often requested for funerals at Sunset Chapel and Hamilton’s Funeral homes.  She even played the piano for a few services at The Village at age 91.

She enjoyed traveling and loved to read.  She had large collections of musical coffee cups, angels, beanie babies, and miniature pianos, many of them were music boxes.  Some of her many talents included sewing and embroidery and she made many Halloween and pageant costumes.  Each of their many trips had a scrapbook of memorabilia and she made many family scrapbooks.  She loved to write poems, and many of her piano student recitals were set to rhyme.

Mildred was a member of Women’s Christian Temperance Union and The United Society of Friends Women where she served as Literature Secretary and completed their reading course 44 years!   She received a special mission recognition from the United Methodists.

Due to health concerns in 2015, they sold their home and moved to The Village Retirement Center in Indianola where Francis passed away in 2016.

Mildred is survived by her five children:  Marilyn Bender of Indianola, Darrell (& Cathie) Zeliadt of Des Moines, Carol (& David) Geil of Indianola, Julie Zeliadt of Des Moines,  and Lorie (& Pat) Foley of Des Moines, a sister Linda (& Larry) Eliason of Oskaloosa, eight grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren and four great, great granddaughters!

She arrived in heaven to be greeted by her parents, her husband of 72 years, a son-in-law James Bender, one great granddaughter and one great, great grandson.

Services will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, 2017 at the Ft. Des Moines United Methodist Church, 6205 SW 9th Street, Des Moines, IA.  Visitation will be held prior to services from 8:30 to 10 a.m. with burial following at Highland Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the family, Holt International Adoption Agency, or the Iowa Lupus Foundation.