Services
Obituary
Iris C. (Bennett) Eriksen, 95, of Dows, passed away on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at her home.
Memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, February 6, 2026 at the Presbyterian Church, 219 1st Street Northwest in Clarion. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery in Dows.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Home, 114 East Ellsworth Street in Dows.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests that you honor Iris’s memory by visiting an elderly person, returning your shopping cart, unplugging appliances not in use, eating all the food that you put on your plate, tending your garden, respecting the U.S. flag, and showing compassion for those going through hard times.
Iris Colleen Bennett was born October 8, 1930 in Fort Dodge, the daughter of Harold and Klara (Stringham) Bennett. She received her beginning education at Butler School in Fort Dodge. When her parents moved to Dows, Iris continued her elementary and high school at Dows Community School, graduating in 1948. After high school, Iris attended St. Cloud Teachers College in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
On December 4, 1949, Iris married Robert Eriksen at the First Presbyterian Church in Dows. To this union two children were born, Dennis and Andrea Marie. Bob and Iris farmed west of Dows on his father’s farm for ten years. They then moved into town to own and operate Eriksen’s Super Valu store. Later occupations included American Aluminum and Webster City Products, bookkeeper for Cargill Feeds in Rowan, and Cornelia Furniture in Clarion.
Iris served the community as librarian for 15 years. She was active in the Iowa Library Storytellers Roundtable and went on to become a professional Storyteller. She joined the Northlands Storytelling Association and serving as an officer there. She enjoyed traveling all over the Midwest sharing folk tales, fairy tales, ghost stories, and down home stories with young and old alike. Iris and Bob spent many happy times together at Hupmobile gatherings and parades. Iris enjoyed gathering stories and facts about the history of Dows. She was a member of DAR, Iowa Society of Mayflower Descendants, Dows American Legion Auxiliary, and an Elder in the Presbyterian Church.
Iris was preceded in death by her husband Robert; her parents Harold and Klara Bennett; sister Ardeth Kocourek; brothers-in-law Frank Kocourek, Herbert Eriksen, Norman Eriksen, Gary Smit, and Robert Kniesley; three sisters-in-law Dorothy Eriksen, Marlene Eriksen, and Sonja Kniesley; nieces Margaret Eriksen, Erica Kniesley, and Nancy Bakker; and two nephews Roger Eriksen and Jeremy Hanson.
She is survived by her son Dennis (Linda) Eriksen of Grimes; daughter Andrea (Greg) Crowl of Clarion; grandsons Christian (Mandy) Fisher of Hull and Erik (Emily) Fisher of Norwalk; six great-grandchildren Thayden Fisher, Ian Fisher, Adeleine Fisher, Quinn Fisher, Tegan Fisher, and Tate Fisher; and many nieces, nephews, all of which she was very proud.
“Don’t grieve for me. Celebrate life. Mine has been a good one. I have truly been blessed.”