Obituary of Elda McMann

Elda (Phend) McMann died in her sleep Monday night March 12, 2018 at the age of 93, at the Anamosa Care Center in Anamosa, Iowa where she had recently been living.

Born on a farm near Wellman, Iowa on July 23, 1925, she graduated from Iowa City High where, as a junior, she played first chair French horn in the University of Iowa Orchestra.  Elda went on to the University to study music and then followed her love for both classical and jazz music to the record business in St. Louis.

As her interests grew, Elda lived in several places in the US, including Missouri, Florida, and Arizona, becoming a successful real estate agent and a licensed pilot. In her 20’s she raced sports cars and was always the adventurer.

Elda was a very spiritual person perhaps because of her Native American heritage which created a very special and deep affection for Native Americans of the Southwest.  It was during this period she became a student of Edgar Cayce, the renowned psychic, and developed her own psychic abilities that changed her life forever. Her reputation as a healer grew as people from the East and Southwest began to seek out her services.  In the 1980’s, the New Orleans Times Picayune published a feature article covering Elda’s work.

Elda had been living in Mt Vernon and Anamosa, Iowa for the past 15 years.

Unique doesn’t sufficiently describe her.  She was greatly loved and will be sorely missed by those whose lives she touched.

Elda was preceded in death by her husband John William (Jack) McMann.

She is survived by her son David McMann, of Denver, Colorado and her nephew Tom Pickering, of Medford, Oregon, both of whom she had an enduring impact on over the years as she did on her grandchildren, relatives and friends to whom she gave poignant sage advice that they remember to this day.

No services will be held at this time.