Adeline E. Sents, age 93, formerly of Washington, Iowa died Sunday, December 27, 2020 at Colonial Manor, in Columbus Junction, Iowa. A graveside service will be held at a later date. A memorial has been established for the Welsh North American Association. The Jones & Eden Funeral Home of Washington is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to Adeline’s family through the web at www.jonesfh.com.
Adeline Elizabeth Sents was born September 1, 1927, the daughter of Edward V. Humphreys and Eleanor Williams Humphreys. She spent her early life in the Wyman community, where she completed her elementary and secondary education in the Wyman consolidated school system, graduating as the salutatorian of her class in 1944.
Adeline was born to be a teacher and energetically pursued that calling. In the fall of 1944, she enrolled in the elementary teacher preparatory program. In 1946 she completed that program and graduated from the Iowa State Teachers College, receiving the elementary education diploma, authorizing her to teach in the elementary grades in the State of Iowa. Her first teaching contract was with the Winfield school system where she taught fourth grade. After two years, she accepted a position with the Tipton school sy stem. A year later, the Iowa City Public School System hired her to teach fifth grade. In Iowa City, the director of the University of Iowa Elementary Campus School sought her out and offered her the opportunity to become part of the University of Iowa faculty, and to teach fifth grade as well as to supervise student teachers enrolled in the University education program. She accepted the position and became a member of the University of Iowa faculty.
Her engagement with the University of Iowa Campus School Program ended in 1954, when she resigned to marry Aeilt E. Sents, and accept a position in the Rock Island Elementary school system, where her husband was a member of the Senior High School faculty.
In the first year at Rock Island, the Harvard Graduate College for Education approached her seeking her participation in their summer school offerings. Her participation included teaching and supervising student teachers enrolled in the teacher training program at Harvard.
Adeline resigned from her teaching duties when she gave birth to her daughter, Eleanor Ann. A son, Steven Aeilt was born after the family moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin in 1958.. Adeline returned to full time teaching in 1964, after her two children had started school and while the family was living in Missouri for a year during her husband’s work on his PhD. In the fall of 1965, she returned to teaching 5th grade after the family returned to Whitewater. She continued to teach fifth grade at Washington Elementary School in Whitewater until retiring after 21 years in that position.
Adeline was proud of her full Welsh heritage. On a trip to Europe, she visited Wales, located ancestral homes, places of interest, and visited her distant Welsh relatives. When the Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu met in Milwaukee for an annual gathering, she encouraged her young family to attend the Sunday afternoon sing. It was the beginning of attending local and state gatherings as well as national gatherings when they took place in a Midwestern city.
After some years of retirement in Whitewater, during which they enjoyed winters in Gulf Shores, Alabama, she and her husband decided to relocate to Washington, Iowa where they built a home on the campus of the United Presbyterian Home. At that location, they enjoyed ten years of carefree living, near their son and his family, until health issues made it necessary for Adeline to enter the health center for full time care.
Adeline was a lifelong learner, loving to travel and read. She invested her many talents in serving her church, her community, and showering love on her family. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Eleanor and Bruce Coriell, son and daughter-in-law, Steven and Melissa Sents, 5 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.
