Thea Applegate, 64, of Creston, died Friday, July 6, 2012 at the Greater Regional Hospice House in Creston, after resisting two major types of cancer- myeloma (bone marrow) and kidney, with invaluable support of family, friends and neighbors. She was diagnosed with both types of cancer in August of 2011.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 9, 2012 at United Church of Christ Church in Creston. Rev. Deborah Pope will officiate. Burial will be at a later date in Avoca, Ia. Memorials may be made to Creston Animal Rescue Effort, Greater Regional Hospice Home and Gibson Memorial Library.
Cynthia "Thea" Applegate was born December 27, 1947 in Avoca, Iowa to Harley H. Applegate and Margaret Alice (Jorgensen) Applegate. She attended Avoca High School graduating in 1966, as a part of a class of 70 students; serving as editor of her yearbook and president of the National Honor Society as a senior and as class president as a junior, as well as being an officer of anything not sports-related. Her parents were supportive of advanced education, and Thea and her brother were the first to attend college in her family. She continued her education through her lifetime, receiving her master's degrees in Library Science from the University of Michigan and Social Work from the University of Iowa.
She had a varied and interesting career and she devoted much of her time and energy to it. Her first professional position was with the State Library in Des Moines, followed by positions as a librarian and program planner for the Department of Human Services. Those led to mental health planning and advocacy jobs with Iowa Protection and Advocacy Services, Inc. (now Disability Rights Iowa) for people with mental illness where she made friends all over Iowa and spoke at numerous state and national conferences. Thea continued her education in this area, and following completion of an MSW, went to work as New Horizons program manager for West Central Mental Health Center in Adel, Ia.
Deciding that working with children and their families was her chief interest, Thea left the mental health center to come to Green Valley AEA14 as a school social worker, where she stayed for the 12 years until retirement, longer than she worked at any other position. She loved working with the kids and feeling like she made a difference in their lives. She also appreciated and made lasting friendships with many of the teachers, nurses and other professionals she had the opportunity to work with. Although the job sometimes created adversarial positions with school staff, Thea was cognizant of and appreciated the huge contributions made by teaching and administrative staff and the many constraints that made their jobs more difficult. Following her retirement in 2010, Thea worked part-time as a personal counselor at Graceland University and found that she loved working with college students.
Special activities enjoyed by Thea included reading and discussion with book club members; home improvement projects and entertaining friends; spending time with her nieces and nephew; driving her convertible; supporting social , environmental, animal and women's causes; swimming and hosting pool parties.
Throughout her illness, Thea was particularly grateful for the many trips, meals, visits, cards and the other support she received. Particularly noteworthy were her family's many trips especially the one to decorate for Christmas, the coffee group members' frequent visits and rides to appointments, a friend's weekly grocery store "runs", numerous visits to Walmart to search for the impossible-to-find items, monthly deliveries of flower arrangements, and countless trips searching for specific purses or clothing that must have been hidden by bad fairies.
Thea was a member of United Church of Christ Congregational in Creston, Friends of the Library, Book Club and Cancer Support Group.
Thea was preceded in death by her parents. Thea is survived by her brother George (wife Jan) Applegate of Harlan; two nieces Kara and Kirsten; a nephew Greg. She is also survived by an uncle and many wonderful cousins, their spouses and many, many friends and will be missed by her companions Lucy Ricardo, Peaches and Mitzi.
Contributor: Robin Stuva (50617161)
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 9, 2012 at United Church of Christ Church in Creston. Rev. Deborah Pope will officiate. Burial will be at a later date in Avoca, Ia. Memorials may be made to Creston Animal Rescue Effort, Greater Regional Hospice Home and Gibson Memorial Library.
Cynthia "Thea" Applegate was born December 27, 1947 in Avoca, Iowa to Harley H. Applegate and Margaret Alice (Jorgensen) Applegate. She attended Avoca High School graduating in 1966, as a part of a class of 70 students; serving as editor of her yearbook and president of the National Honor Society as a senior and as class president as a junior, as well as being an officer of anything not sports-related. Her parents were supportive of advanced education, and Thea and her brother were the first to attend college in her family. She continued her education through her lifetime, receiving her master's degrees in Library Science from the University of Michigan and Social Work from the University of Iowa.
She had a varied and interesting career and she devoted much of her time and energy to it. Her first professional position was with the State Library in Des Moines, followed by positions as a librarian and program planner for the Department of Human Services. Those led to mental health planning and advocacy jobs with Iowa Protection and Advocacy Services, Inc. (now Disability Rights Iowa) for people with mental illness where she made friends all over Iowa and spoke at numerous state and national conferences. Thea continued her education in this area, and following completion of an MSW, went to work as New Horizons program manager for West Central Mental Health Center in Adel, Ia.
Deciding that working with children and their families was her chief interest, Thea left the mental health center to come to Green Valley AEA14 as a school social worker, where she stayed for the 12 years until retirement, longer than she worked at any other position. She loved working with the kids and feeling like she made a difference in their lives. She also appreciated and made lasting friendships with many of the teachers, nurses and other professionals she had the opportunity to work with. Although the job sometimes created adversarial positions with school staff, Thea was cognizant of and appreciated the huge contributions made by teaching and administrative staff and the many constraints that made their jobs more difficult. Following her retirement in 2010, Thea worked part-time as a personal counselor at Graceland University and found that she loved working with college students.
Special activities enjoyed by Thea included reading and discussion with book club members; home improvement projects and entertaining friends; spending time with her nieces and nephew; driving her convertible; supporting social , environmental, animal and women's causes; swimming and hosting pool parties.
Throughout her illness, Thea was particularly grateful for the many trips, meals, visits, cards and the other support she received. Particularly noteworthy were her family's many trips especially the one to decorate for Christmas, the coffee group members' frequent visits and rides to appointments, a friend's weekly grocery store "runs", numerous visits to Walmart to search for the impossible-to-find items, monthly deliveries of flower arrangements, and countless trips searching for specific purses or clothing that must have been hidden by bad fairies.
Thea was a member of United Church of Christ Congregational in Creston, Friends of the Library, Book Club and Cancer Support Group.
Thea was preceded in death by her parents. Thea is survived by her brother George (wife Jan) Applegate of Harlan; two nieces Kara and Kirsten; a nephew Greg. She is also survived by an uncle and many wonderful cousins, their spouses and many, many friends and will be missed by her companions Lucy Ricardo, Peaches and Mitzi.
Contributor: Robin Stuva (50617161)
Thea Applegate, 64, of Creston, died Friday, July 6, 2012 at the Greater Regional Hospice House in Creston, after resisting two major types of cancer- myeloma (bone marrow) and kidney, with invaluable support of family, friends and neighbors. She was diagnosed with both types of cancer in August of 2011.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 9, 2012 at United Church of Christ Church in Creston. Rev. Deborah Pope will officiate. Burial will be at a later date in Avoca, Ia. Memorials may be made to Creston Animal Rescue Effort, Greater Regional Hospice Home and Gibson Memorial Library.
Cynthia "Thea" Applegate was born December 27, 1947 in Avoca, Iowa to Harley H. Applegate and Margaret Alice (Jorgensen) Applegate. She attended Avoca High School graduating in 1966, as a part of a class of 70 students; serving as editor of her yearbook and president of the National Honor Society as a senior and as class president as a junior, as well as being an officer of anything not sports-related. Her parents were supportive of advanced education, and Thea and her brother were the first to attend college in her family. She continued her education through her lifetime, receiving her master's degrees in Library Science from the University of Michigan and Social Work from the University of Iowa.
She had a varied and interesting career and she devoted much of her time and energy to it. Her first professional position was with the State Library in Des Moines, followed by positions as a librarian and program planner for the Department of Human Services. Those led to mental health planning and advocacy jobs with Iowa Protection and Advocacy Services, Inc. (now Disability Rights Iowa) for people with mental illness where she made friends all over Iowa and spoke at numerous state and national conferences. Thea continued her education in this area, and following completion of an MSW, went to work as New Horizons program manager for West Central Mental Health Center in Adel, Ia.
Deciding that working with children and their families was her chief interest, Thea left the mental health center to come to Green Valley AEA14 as a school social worker, where she stayed for the 12 years until retirement, longer than she worked at any other position. She loved working with the kids and feeling like she made a difference in their lives. She also appreciated and made lasting friendships with many of the teachers, nurses and other professionals she had the opportunity to work with. Although the job sometimes created adversarial positions with school staff, Thea was cognizant of and appreciated the huge contributions made by teaching and administrative staff and the many constraints that made their jobs more difficult. Following her retirement in 2010, Thea worked part-time as a personal counselor at Graceland University and found that she loved working with college students.
Special activities enjoyed by Thea included reading and discussion with book club members; home improvement projects and entertaining friends; spending time with her nieces and nephew; driving her convertible; supporting social , environmental, animal and women's causes; swimming and hosting pool parties.
Throughout her illness, Thea was particularly grateful for the many trips, meals, visits, cards and the other support she received. Particularly noteworthy were her family's many trips especially the one to decorate for Christmas, the coffee group members' frequent visits and rides to appointments, a friend's weekly grocery store "runs", numerous visits to Walmart to search for the impossible-to-find items, monthly deliveries of flower arrangements, and countless trips searching for specific purses or clothing that must have been hidden by bad fairies.
Thea was a member of United Church of Christ Congregational in Creston, Friends of the Library, Book Club and Cancer Support Group.
Thea was preceded in death by her parents. Thea is survived by her brother George (wife Jan) Applegate of Harlan; two nieces Kara and Kirsten; a nephew Greg. She is also survived by an uncle and many wonderful cousins, their spouses and many, many friends and will be missed by her companions Lucy Ricardo, Peaches and Mitzi.
Contributor: Robin Stuva (50617161)
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 9, 2012 at United Church of Christ Church in Creston. Rev. Deborah Pope will officiate. Burial will be at a later date in Avoca, Ia. Memorials may be made to Creston Animal Rescue Effort, Greater Regional Hospice Home and Gibson Memorial Library.
Cynthia "Thea" Applegate was born December 27, 1947 in Avoca, Iowa to Harley H. Applegate and Margaret Alice (Jorgensen) Applegate. She attended Avoca High School graduating in 1966, as a part of a class of 70 students; serving as editor of her yearbook and president of the National Honor Society as a senior and as class president as a junior, as well as being an officer of anything not sports-related. Her parents were supportive of advanced education, and Thea and her brother were the first to attend college in her family. She continued her education through her lifetime, receiving her master's degrees in Library Science from the University of Michigan and Social Work from the University of Iowa.
She had a varied and interesting career and she devoted much of her time and energy to it. Her first professional position was with the State Library in Des Moines, followed by positions as a librarian and program planner for the Department of Human Services. Those led to mental health planning and advocacy jobs with Iowa Protection and Advocacy Services, Inc. (now Disability Rights Iowa) for people with mental illness where she made friends all over Iowa and spoke at numerous state and national conferences. Thea continued her education in this area, and following completion of an MSW, went to work as New Horizons program manager for West Central Mental Health Center in Adel, Ia.
Deciding that working with children and their families was her chief interest, Thea left the mental health center to come to Green Valley AEA14 as a school social worker, where she stayed for the 12 years until retirement, longer than she worked at any other position. She loved working with the kids and feeling like she made a difference in their lives. She also appreciated and made lasting friendships with many of the teachers, nurses and other professionals she had the opportunity to work with. Although the job sometimes created adversarial positions with school staff, Thea was cognizant of and appreciated the huge contributions made by teaching and administrative staff and the many constraints that made their jobs more difficult. Following her retirement in 2010, Thea worked part-time as a personal counselor at Graceland University and found that she loved working with college students.
Special activities enjoyed by Thea included reading and discussion with book club members; home improvement projects and entertaining friends; spending time with her nieces and nephew; driving her convertible; supporting social , environmental, animal and women's causes; swimming and hosting pool parties.
Throughout her illness, Thea was particularly grateful for the many trips, meals, visits, cards and the other support she received. Particularly noteworthy were her family's many trips especially the one to decorate for Christmas, the coffee group members' frequent visits and rides to appointments, a friend's weekly grocery store "runs", numerous visits to Walmart to search for the impossible-to-find items, monthly deliveries of flower arrangements, and countless trips searching for specific purses or clothing that must have been hidden by bad fairies.
Thea was a member of United Church of Christ Congregational in Creston, Friends of the Library, Book Club and Cancer Support Group.
Thea was preceded in death by her parents. Thea is survived by her brother George (wife Jan) Applegate of Harlan; two nieces Kara and Kirsten; a nephew Greg. She is also survived by an uncle and many wonderful cousins, their spouses and many, many friends and will be missed by her companions Lucy Ricardo, Peaches and Mitzi.
Contributor: Robin Stuva (50617161)
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