The Life of CORA ELEANOR SCOTT
Cora, 76, died October 10, 2010, at Taylor House of ovarian cancer. She was born December 1, 1933, the seventh of eight children of Emma and Carl Strong. A 1952 East High graduate, Cora remained an Eastsider all her life.
On July 19, 1952, she married Ivyl “Dale” Scott. They were blessed with five children: Dalene “Sandy” (Wes) Enos and Cindy (Steve) Knight of Altoona, Dale Jr. of Des Moines, Cheryl (Dave) Smith of Rochester, MN, and Donnell Clemenson of Des Moines. Later her life revolved around her 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. With her door always open to anyone needing love, Cora also helped raise her nieces, Angela Scott and Jamie Six.
Cora was born during the height of the Depression. FDR was coming into office and some “New Deals” were in the future. How the family survived is a blessing, considering Dad was out of work, they lived in a rental house, and they depended on bread-line rations of oatmeal, raisins and dried milk. One brother went to the Civilian Conservation Corps and sent his wages home, one worked at a grocery store and salvaged outdated food, one walked train tracks for scraps of coal for heat, and one died young in September 1941 of the dreaded polio.
When WWII broke out, two of her brothers joined the service. Calvin joined the Navy and was sent to Maryland, and Bert to the Philippines with the Army. The oldest girl, Shirley, worked here making military equipment, and Dad got a job at Ankeny’s ordinance plant. Her brother, John, too young to serve, delivered Western Union telegrams via bicycle, some of them informing families of soldiers killed.
Cora and siblings Dorothy and Carl Jr. (Scottie) stayed home where their folks held the family together. They strived to have a happy childhood while worrying about the war, playing war with wooden machine guns and dirt mounds. Cora learned to ice skate from watching Sonja Henie movies that Shirley took her to at the Ideal Theater for 10 cents. While in New York, Cora skated on the ice rink in Rockefeller Center. Other film favorites were Shirely Temple, Gene Autry and the Wizard of Oz.
By this time, the war was over and Cora started 7th grade at Wilson Jr. High. She walked there daily with ninth-grade sister, Dorothy, and the Stubbs family. Cora’s brothers came home from the service, only to have the mom they loved so much die suddenly. At 12, Cora became the homemaker, doing laundry, cooking and cleaning; sometimes not so good, but always with a positive outlook.
Little did Cora know that a babysitting job would lead to marriage. The kids’ uncle stopped by one day as Cora was leaving, and for him it was love at first sight. Later that day, while joy-riding with his friend, he saw her walking down the sidewalk, threw and apple that hit her in the behind and said to his friend, “I’m gonna marry that girl!” As a bride, Cora gained a special “mother-in-law,” Dale’s older sister, Vera who raised him, as his mother died early in life.
While raising her family, Cora enjoyed playing dominoes with her friends, sewing, ceramics, playing bingo, tent revivals, an occasional trip to Prairie Meadows and hosting big holiday gatherings. Full of love and compassion, Cora was a humble, accepting woman who treated everyone with respect. She was truly the best mom, grandmother, aunt, sister, Godmother, and friend anyone could want. Her home was a happy one, always with little kids around.
In May 2000, Cora was partially paralyzed by a stroke, and her loving, devoted husband and family worked together to keep her home. During this time, Cora kept her positive attitude and was an inspiration.
She believed in the Lord and was baptized last week. Cora looked forward to seeing her parents and siblings, Shirley, Calvin, Bert, Jack and John in heaven. As you remember Cora, please find comfort in John 3:16.
Besides her husband and children, Cora leaves behind 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; a sister, Dorothy McKinley of Waterloo.
