Elonda Eischen, 47, of New Sharon, passed away Monday morning, Feb. 3, 2025, at UnityPoint Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines. A Celebration of Life was at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Feb. 10, at Lighthouse Church in New Sharon. Burial was in Friends Cemetery in New Sharon. In honor of Elonda, the family requested attendees to please wear pink. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in the family’s name to determine a memorial at a later time.
Elonda Lynn Eischen, the daughter of Steve and Jo (Merck) Wiley, was born Aug. 21, 1977, in Grinnell. She graduated from North Mahaska High School with the Class of 1995. She attended University of Northern Iowa for a year before graduating from Indian Hills University. Elonda was married to Terry Van Maanen on May 31, 1997. To this union three children were born: Kaylee, Tessa, and Jarret. They later divorced. Elonda worked for Jensen Optometrists PLLC in Grinnell for a few years before going to work in 1999 at Snyder Manufacturing in New Sharon where she was office manager. Oct. 14, 2022, Elonda was united in marriage to Adam Eischen.
Elonda had a passion for baking and finding new recipes to try out. She was best known for her sugar cookies and baking cupcakes and cakes for family birthdays. Elonda was an avid reader and enjoyed watching “True Crime” documentaries along with baking shows. She also enjoyed going on business trips and trying different restaurants while on those trips, with her favorite business trips being to Hershey, PA, Nashville, TN, and Washington, D.C. She always looked forward to “girl’s day” with her daughters getting nails done, shopping, and having lunch. She also enjoyed having sisterly birthdays where they would go to concerts, movies, and out to eat. Elonda loved her family and looked forward to spending time with them along with watching her children in all of their activities through the years, but most importantly she loved her favorite “child,” her dog Bella. Above all, she was most looking forward to being a “Grammy” to her first grandchild, William, being born Dec. 17. The best part of Elonda’s day was receiving daily pictures of William, and she loved to spoil him with a house full of things for him.
Her memory will be cherished by her husband Adam Eischen of New Sharon; her children, Kaylee (Brian) Hervey of Douds, Tessa Van Maanen of Cedar Rapids, Jarret (Nikki) Van Maanen of Lynnville, Aidan Eischen of New Sharon, and Riley Eischen of New Sharon; one grandson William Hervey; her parents Steve and Jo Wiley of New Sharon; her sister Melissa (Clint) Spurgeon of Indianola; her brother Chad Wiley of Quincy, IL; along with her aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and many friends.
Elonda was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents Russell and Jeanette Wiley and maternal grandparents Eugene and Ellen Merck; and her dog Bella.
