Eleanor M. Short

Eleanor M. Short, 95, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 26, 2021, at Provident Village in Canton, Georgia. Visitation will be held 10 a.m. Friday, July 2, 2021 followed by the funeral service at 11 a.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church in West Des Moines, of which she was a charter member. Burial will be at Resthaven Cemetery.

Eleanor was born in Pella, Iowa, to William and Minnie (Vanden Berg) Vos on February 19, 1926. She graduated from Pella High School with the class of 1943 and attended Central College in Pella where she sang in the acapella choir and played clarinet in the orchestra. Eleanor worked at the Marion County State Bank until moving to Des Moines where she met Rollins M. Short. They were united in marriage on January 8, 1949. She worked in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1953 until 1965 when Massey-Ferguson moved to Des Moines. Eleanor was the first Des Moines-based employee at Massey Ferguson and worked there as an Executive Secretary for 21 years until her retirement in 1986. In retirement, Eleanor served as a Precinct Election Official for many years and she also volunteered at the Historic Jordan House in West Des Moines.

Eleanor’s greatest pride were her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She and Rollie were avid travelers and enjoyed many wonderful trips together over the years.

Left to cherish her memory are sons, Steve (Geni) of San Diego, California, Stan of Bar Harbor, Maine, and Scott of Des Moines, Iowa; daughter, Shellee (Ken) Browning of Waleska, Georgia. Also, her five grandchildren, Steve, Jr. (Cortney), Monica (Sean) Generotzky, Emily (Cody) Raper, Lauren (Battle) Neal, and Michael (Kayla) Browning; great-grandchildren, Brody, Rustin, and Rian Short, Jacob and Elenor Generotzky, Zachary Raper, Baby Eleanor Neal arriving this summer and Baby Browning arriving this fall.

Memorial contributions may be made to Covenant Presbyterian Church.