| Honored by: | Sharon Wirth |
| Brick location: | A:9 map |
Adeline Henrietta Mertes Craft is a strong resourceful woman, the wife of Leslie Earl Craft and mother of six children. She spent a great deal of her life nurturing her five daughters and one son on a farm just outside La Porte City, Iowa. As one of her daughters I have chosen to honor her in the Plaza of Heroines.
Although not a person to seek recognition or praise her actions are worthy of recognition. She has spent most of her adult life with quite limited financial resources, but still managed to help those less fortunate than herself through church and community projects. She made sure her family was fed and clothed and also instilled strong moral values taking the children to church each Sunday faithfully. Dad was ill for a number of years before his death Mom cared for him tirelessly for many years. Mom showed us how to cope with what we have and to make the best of it. Dad, of a different personality ,was a dreamer. This personality combination in our parents provided a valuable backdrop for a growing family and very much shaped the future of each of us.
The order and structure provided in our home growing up has enabled each of us to emerge as strong and responsible individuals contributing to the world in very diverse ways. Even today though all children are adults she works to keep us together as a family always helping whichever of us needs a little extra care or help through a tough situation. She is almost always thinking and worrying about others and seldom herself. Thanks mom.
7/1/96