Clairbelle Erickson

Clairbelle Erickson, 81, of Marshalltown, died Monday, February 18, 2013, at Westbrook Acres in Gladbrook, while surrounded by her loving family. Visitation for Clairbelle will be held from 5:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m., Friday, February 22, at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home where her family will be present to greet friends. A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, February 23, at 10:30 a.m., at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Marshalltown. Burial will follow services at Riverside Cemetery. A luncheon for Clairbelle will take place at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home following the burial at Riverside Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be directed in her name to either Trinity Lutheran Church or the Iowa River Hospice Home. Clairbelle was born June 4, 1931, in Marshalltown, Iowa, the daughter of James and Elisa (Mueller) Smith. She was raised and educated in Marshalltown, went on to graduate from the Zearing High School and also received a degree in Long Term Care Administration. She was united in marriage to Donald L. Erickson in November of 1952 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Clairbelle was a very active and successful business woman during her career. She spent time with Marshalltown Instruments, Dorn Boss Truck Lines, carried her real estate license and retired from Country View Blackhawk County Care Facility in 1996. During this time period, Clairbelle was awarded the American Business Woman of the Year. Above all of her business activities, Clairbelle was very family oriented. Her family came first to her. She was very active throughout her childrens lives, supporting them in all of their many school activities and sporting events, and also taught Sunday school. Clairbelle was a lifelong Lutheran and member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She enjoyed traveling overseas to Europe and also spent time traveling in the United States. Clairbelle was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother to her family. She will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved her. Clairbelle was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Marshalltown.Clairbelle is survived by her children: Marilyn Melick of Marshalltown, Marleen (Terry) Burns of Versailles, Kentucky, Norman (Melanie) Erickson of Flagstaff, Arizona, Denise (Jim) Merritt of Madison, Wisconsin, Marcia (Roger) Brooks of Oviedo, Florida, Alan (Stephanie) Erickson of Marshalltown, her sister Dorothy Anderson of Marshalltown, her brother Larry (Tana) Smith of Marshalltown and her sister-in-law Hisako Smith of Marshalltown, her eight grandchildren: Jared, Michael, Jeffrey, Lindsey, Jessie, Kata and Kolby, her four great-grandchildren: Kaitlyn, Clayton Levi, Whitney and Dexter and several nieces, nephews and cousins.Clairbelle was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her granddaughter Shauna, her brother-in-law Don, and her siblings: Leroy Smith, Jim Smith, Blanche Propp and Leonard Bud Smith.