Idabelle Sheffield

Idabelle Sheffield, age 101, of Storm Lake, Iowa, died Tuesday, April 6, 2005 at the Buena Vista Manor Care Center in Storm Lake.

Memorial Services will be held Monday, April 11, 2005 at 2:30 p.m. at Buena Vista Manor Care Center in Storm Lake. Graveside services on Monday at 1:00 p.m. at Storm Lake Cemetery will precede the memorial service. There will be no visitation. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements.

Idabelle was born on July 4, 1903 to Sam and Selma (Danielson) Mullins in Storm Lake, Iowa. Her father, Sam, operated Mullins Barbershop in Storm Lake starting in 1898. On the day she was born, Sam was to pitch for a Storm Lake White Caps ballgame. Idabelle was very proud of being born on Independence Day and was called “Firecracker” by many of her friends.

Idabelle was only 12 years old when her mother died in 1915. She received her education in the Storm Lake Community Schools, graduating from high school in 1922. Idabelle and her brother, Harold, then moved to Arizona, where she worked as a telephone operator. Harold moved back to Storm Lake to take over operation of Mullins Barbershop in 1938. Idabelle later moved to California where she continued to work as a telephone operator. On March 24, 1947, she married Manning Harvey Sheffield in Los Angeles, California. After her husband died, Idabelle returned to Storm Lake and worked at Vern’s Variety. She lived for many years at 407 West Sixth Street in Storm Lake with her dog, Punkin. The children in the neighborhood loved stopping at her house because she always had an extra cookie or some candy for them. Idabelle moved to McCord Manor and then to Buena Vista Manor, where she resided until her death.

Left to cherish Idabelle’s memory is her special friend, Mary Ellen Norris of Alta, Iowa.

Idabelle was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and her brother.