Ethel Handley

Mass of Christian Burial: Will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. at the St. John’s Catholic Church in Greenfield with burial in the Greenfield Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at Hotel Greenfield following the committal services at the cemetery. Father Ken Gross will officiate the service. The Steen Funeral Home of Greenfield is in charge of professional arrangements. 

Open Visitation: Friends may call on Friday, October 23, 2020, at the Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Due to state and federal guidance on gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the family, church and funeral home requests masks must be worn and social distancing to be practiced.

Memorials: May be directed to the Ethel Handley memorial fund to be established by the family. 

Ethel Louise Handley was the second child of five born to Arthur W. and Grace (Phillips) Keller in Jefferson Twp., Adair County, Iowa, on April 26, 1924. She passed away on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, at the Adair County Memorial Hospital in Greenfield, Iowa, at the age of 96.

Ethel was educated in the rural schools of Adair County, and graduated from Greenfield High School in 1942. Prior to her marriage she taught two years in an Adair County rural school and attended Simpson College at Indianola. When her family was nearly raised she realized one of her life's ambitions, enrolling at Creston Community College, obtaining an Associate of Arts degree and graduating in 1972 from Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, Mo., with a BS in secondary education having majored in history. She was affiliated with KAPPA DELTA PI SORORITY. She did substitute teaching in the High Schools of Greenfield and Orient for several years.

She was married to Robert D. Handley, August 23, 1944, at St Ambrose Cathedral, Des Moines, IA. Four children were born to this union: Carol, Douglas, Randall, and Terry. Bob and Ethel lived for a time following their marriage at Hill Field, Utah, and Honolulu, Hawaii where they worked in Civil Service positions during WWII. In 1945 she and her husband returned to Greenfield, IA where she has since resided. She was a member of St John's Catholic Church, St. John's Council of Catholic Women, a charter member and helped organize the Adair County Anquestor’s Genealogical Society, and a member of the Daughters of The American Revolution. She helped for a number of years with the Red Cross bloodmobile program, and as a volunteer at the Congregate Meals site.

Her long-time hobbies were stamp collecting, genealogy, and bridge. She will best be remembered for her great love in researching the ancestors of her and her husband's families. Her fondest memories were spending holidays and time with her family.

She was preceded in death by her husband Bob in 2003, her sons, Doug, Randall, and Terry, her parents, brothers, Jack Keller, Raymond Keller, Cecil Keller, and Richard Keller and sisters-in law Joanne, Donna and Hannelore.

She was dearly loved, and will be genuinely missed by her daughter, Carol (Virgil) Baudler; daughters-in-law, Glenda, Betty, and Lynn; grandchildren, Michael (Barb), Julie (Allen), Brian, Bob, Shannon (Clint), Danielle (Gary), Ryan (Lisa), Scott (Allyson) and Steven (Shannon); 20 great grandchildren; 3 great-great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Bernice Keller; numerous nephews, nieces, other relatives and many friends.

The family of Ethel Handley wishes to express their gratitude for all acts of kindness shown to them in their time of sorrow and invites you to join them for a luncheon at Hotel Greenfield following the services at the cemetery.