Iowa Living Magazines

Diana (Gentosi) Evans

Diana (Gentosi) Evans, 91, of Indianola, died March 19, 2022, at MercyOne Hospice in Johnston. Diana was a lifelong member of the Vittoria Lodge. She enjoyed spending time with her family and working on craft projects. She worked for Bryan Animal Hospital in Des Moines for 24 years.
She is survived by her daughters, Billie Ramey, Toni Marinaro (Tom) and Terri Grail, and other relatives and friends. Her husband, William Evans, and her son, Robert Evans, preceded her in death. Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

Peggy Ann Rosenbaum

Peggy Ann Rosenbaum, 78, of Indianola, died March 26, 2022, at the Indianola Good Samaritan Society Nursing Home. Services will be held at a later date. She is survived by her husband, Robert; children, George (Chris) Grover, Kim Gaylord and Ronald (Jean) Rosenbaum; and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded by daughter Susan Scanlan.

Pamela Barnett

Pamela Barnett, 74, died March 23, 2022, at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Services were held Wednesday, March 30, at Christian Life Assembly of God Church.

Kim Johnson

Kim Johnson, 48, of Winterset, died unexpectedly at MercyOne Medical Center in Des Moines on Monday, March 21, 2022. A celebration of life was held Friday, March 25 at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home, Winterset Chapel. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.caldwellparrish.com.
Kimberly Nicole (Kerns) Johnson was born in Winterset, attended Winterset High School and graduated in 1992. She went on to become a CMA and CNA and worked for nursing homes around the area. She married Kenneth Johnson on Feb. 14, 1998, in Winterset. Kim was a great caregiver and had a heart of gold. She enjoyed working with her clients at the nursing homes and also taking care of her father, Ron.
She is survived by her husband, Ken; parents, Ron and Val Kerns; and other relatives and friends.

Deloris Linn

Deloris Kay Linn, 79, of Bondurant, died Tuesday, March 15, 2022. Services were held at Bondurant Federated Church on March 23.
She grew up in Bondurant where she continued to live her whole life. She graduated from Bondurant-Farrar in 1961 where she played on the state tournament basketball and softball teams. She married Harry B. Linn on Aug. 24, 1962, and they shared nearly 60 years. She attended Bondurant Federated Church for most of her life and enjoyed volunteering with Awana and singing in the choir. She worked as a school cook for nearly 33 years where her primary role was baking.
She is survived by her husband, Harry Linn; son, Kyle (Lori) Linn; daughters, Susan (Duane) Moeller of Bondurant and Kimber (Donavon) Hintz; and other relatives and friends. Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

John Schweers

John Alphonse Schweers, 72, died surrounded by his family on March 19, 2022. A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 31 at Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Catholic Church in Ankeny from 4-7 p.m. A service will be held at the church Friday, April 1, 10 a.m., with burial following at St. John the Baptist’s Catholic Cemetery in Arcadia.
He grew up on the family farm in Arcadia. After graduating from Kuemper Catholic High School in 1967, John attended Iowa State University for a time before enlisting in the United States Army where he served as a sergeant and completed a tour in Vietnam. Upon his honorable discharge, he met his wife, Kathleen (Kathy) Bradley, and they were married June 1, 1973.
John returned to Iowa State where he received a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1974. He worked for many years in the banking industry, specializing in mortgage lending, before changing career paths, serving as office manager for Associated Benefits Corp. in West Des Moines. John and Kathy became parents of three children, Ryan, Allison and Audrey.
He was a scoutmaster for Troop 182 for many years and a volunteer at the local VA hospital. John will also be remembered for being a conservationist. He was known for maintaining the quarter mile portion of Ankeny’s High Trestle Bike Trail behind his home by pulling weeds, planting milkweed and other wildflowers to attract butterflies, and picking up litter daily along his 4-mile walking route. He was also a member of the VFW.
John is preceded in death by his wife, Kathleen Schweers, and survived by his children, Ryan (Jenny) Schweers, Allison (Michael) Klein Jr. of Ankeny, and Audrey (Shawn) Echelberry; and many other relatives and friends.

Martin ‘Marty’ Anthon Foster

Martin “Marty” Anthon Foster, 67, died in his sleep after being transferred to the Dougherty House in Sioux Falls on the morning of March 19, 2022, after several health challenges in recent years.
He was primarily raised in Ankeny. He ran track and graduated high school in 1972. He graduated from Wartburg College with a bachelor’s degree in social services in 1976. He married Robin Hurd in 1990 with whom he shares three daughters and eight grandchildren, as well as numerous other “adopted” kids. They later divorced.
He is survived by his children, Angela Joan (Jason) Krause, Cynthia Lynn (Heath) Anderson, and Amanda Darlene (Arlo) North, and other relatives and friends. A memorial and visitation with family will be held at Heritage Funeral Home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on April 1, 5-7 p.m. Interment will take place April 5, 1 p.m., at Ankeny Memorial Gardens in Ankeny.

Rafael Domingo Mendez

Rafael Domingo Mendez died March 23, 2022, due to complications of liver failure. Rafael graduated early from North High School in Des Moines and joined the United States Army, where he served almost 10 years as an infantryman. He was deployed on three combat tours — twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan, where he was decorated with multiple awards.
Rafael married Jennifer and they had a daughter, Alicia. The couple divorced. Rafael married Bobbi Mendez, and they spent the last 11 years together.
He is survived by his daughter, Alicia, and his ex-wife and caretaker, Jennifer; his current wife, Bobbi Mendez; step-children Travis Wierenga, Austin Phillips and Brynn Phillips; mother Deanna Mendez and stepfather Enrique Anguiano of Altoona; father Vicente Mendez Sr.; brother Vicente Mendez and family; sister Laura Mendez and family; and many other relatives and friends.
Services were at Iles Dunn’s Funeral Home on Monday, March 28.

Pam Ginther

Pam Ginther was born Sept. 13, 1946, to Frank and Betty Lou Schultz. She lived her life in Des Moines and Altoona. She worked in the Des Moines Public School system her entire career, retiring at the age of 65.
She is survived by her daughters, Lisa Stuart (Jeff Stuart) and Lorrie Scully (Ed Scully); sons Rick Ginther (Yvonne Ginther) and Joe Ginther; and other relatives and friends. A memorial service was held at Grandview Park Funeral home on March 26.

Patricia Louise George

Patricia Louise George, 85, of Altoona, died Sunday, March 20, 2022, at Edencrest at Tuscany in Altoona. She grew up in Martensdale, where she graduated in 1955 and began working for Northwestern Bell. On Nov. 24, 1956, she was married to Patrick George Sr. at Churchville. They made their home in the Des Moines and Altoona area where they owned and operated George Transit Line.
She was preceded in death by children Brian and Susan. She is survived by her husband; three children, Lynn (Kirk) Walters, Patrick W. George Jr. ( Karen Alexander ), and Tim (Mary Beth) George of Altoona; and other relatives and friends.
A Funeral Mass was held Friday, March 25, at Ss. John and Paul Catholic Church in Altoona with burial following at the Altoona Cemetery.

Warren Evan Eichelberger

Warren Evan Eichelberger, 80, died March 20, 2022, at Edencrest Tuscany in Altoona from injuries obtained in a fall. He graduated in 1960 from Polk High School in Ohio. Warren married Louise (Welch) Eichelberger in 1962. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1975 from Ashland University. He worked as a plastics projects engineer for the majority of his career. After moving to Jesup, he worked for and retired from Omega Cabinets.
After his wife’s death in October 2021, he enjoyed spending time with his Edencrest friends and staff. His only wish after one of his falls was to recover enough to get back “home” to Edencrest to celebrate his 80th birthday with friends and a large birthday cake, which he enjoyed thoroughly.
He is survived by his daughter, Julie Eichelberger of Jesup; daughter-in-law Christy (Schrock) Eichelberger of Altoona; and many other relatives and friends. A graveside service was held Saturday, March 26 at the Altoona Cemetery.

Eugene ‘Junior’ Charles Irwin

Eugene “Junior” Charles Irwin, 93, of Redfield, died March 20, 2022, at MercyOne Hospice in Johnston. A memorial service was held at the Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home – McCalley Chapel in Adel on Thursday, March 24. Burial of cremains will take place on Friday, March 25, 9:30 a.m., at Iowa Veterans Cemetery north of Van Meter.
He was born in Louisville, Kentucky. His family then moved to De Soto where he graduated from De Soto Consolidated School District in 1944. Following school, he worked for the Rock Island Railroad for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in February of 1946. Upon his return from the Navy, he married Martha JoAnn Hidlebaugh on July 2, 1952. The couple had four children, Sheryl, Pat, Maria and Kathy. Junior worked a few years for Lennox Heating and Cooling before moving to Economy Forms Corp. where he worked for 29.5 years before retiring on Dec. 31, 1990.
He is survived by his wife, Martha; daughters, Sheryl (Paul) Fountas, Pat (Dave) Griffith, Maria (Jack) Gunoe and Kathy (Rodger) McLaughlin; and other relatives and friends.
A full obituary can be found online at www.caldwellparrish.com.

Jeffrey Welter

Jeffrey Welter, 63, died March 16, 2022. He was born in Des Moines and graduated from Dowling Catholic High School in 1977. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served for six years. He married Petra on Jan. 22, 1999, in Las Vegas. She survives him.
A visitation was held March 20 at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home & Crematory in Urbandale. Burial was March 23 at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Adel. A full obituary is online at www.caldwellparrish.com.

Verna I. Osborn

Verna I. Osborn, 90, of Urbandale died March 12, 2022 at Senior Suites in Urbandale. A funeral service and life celebration were held Friday, March 18 at Gass-Haney Funeral Home, Columbus, Nebraska. The burial was at Roselawn Memorial Cemetery in Columbus.
She is survived by her children, Christine Osborn (Dave Sumners), Cathy Osborn, Debbie (John) Currie, Brad Osborn and Connie (Marc) Martin; 11 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Brandon Toepfer

Brandon Toepfer, 28, died March 12, 2022. He was born in Tacoma, Washington, and adopted by Gary Toepfer. He graduated high school in 2011 then went to work in construction. He was working as an installer for Renewal by Anderson.
He is survived by his mom, Jeannette, and “bonus dad” Doug Fricke; sisters and brothers Casaliena Toepfer, Haley Toepfer, Sebrina (Benjiman) Searl, Brandon Fricke, Claire Fricke and Nate Fricke; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Gary Toepfer, and grandfather Kenny Toepfer.
A Celebration of Life was held March 19 at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home in Urbandale.

Glen Joseph Sievers

Glen Joseph Sievers, 57, died March 18, 2022, at MercyOne Medical Center in Des Moines. Services were held March 23 at Iles Westover Chapel. Interment will be at Chapel Hill Gardens Cemetery. He was born in Carroll and graduated from Carroll Kuemper High School. He received his associate’s degree from Des Moines Area Community College. He worked as a mechanic for Granger Motors, and, for the last 22 years, he worked as a maintenance manager for PDI in Ankeny. In 1990, he married Beth Anderson. They made their home in Urbandale, where they raised their son, Jonathan. Beth, Jonathan and Jonathan’s fiancé ,Kristen Sims, survive him.
Glen was an avid baseball fan, player and umpire. He umpired for the Urbandale Little League for more than 20 years.
Arrangements were handled by Iles Westover Chapel.

Joel Dwight Vaughn

Memorial services for Joel Dwight Vaughn, 63, who died March 15, 2022, in Pleasantville, were held March 20 at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola. Joel Dwight Vaughn was born in Newton. He attended Newton High School before working for his father’s company, Vaughn Flooring. Joel and Patricia had three children: Travis, Trevor and Tiffany, who survive him. They moved to Pensacola, Florida, in 1988. Joel started his own business, JD Flooring, when he came back to Iowa, teaching his children the family trade. In 1999 Joel bought his first home near Rock Creek Lake.

Ryan L. Morris

Services for Ryan L. Morris, 44, who died Tuesday, March 15, 2022, were held Saturday, March 19 at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola with burial following in the Indianola I.O.O.F. Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Ryan Leo Morris attended Indianola High School and graduated in the spring of 1996. Later in life, he pursued his passion for technology at ITT Tech. He graduated there in 2015 with an associate’s degree.
At the age of 8, Ryan trained to compete in a Bix7 race in Davenport. As a family, they successfully ran the 7-mile race with Mom cheering on the sideline.
Ryan is survived by his children, Alissia, Madison and Andrew Morris; special friend and former wife, Amanda Goodrich; parents, Gary and Audrey Morris; and many other family and friends.

Marietta Joan Johnson

Graveside services for Marietta Joan Johnson, 86, of Indianola, who died Thursday, March 17, 2022, in Indianola, were held Thursday, March 24 in the Indianola I.O.O.F. Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Marietta is survived by her children, Pam (Dave) Hoffman, Donna (Tim) Schillinger and Robert Piehl Jr., and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Victor Johnson and daughter, Teresa Rogers. To sign an online condolence, visit www.overtonfunerals.com.

Joey Hollinger

Joey Hollinger, 34, of Indianola, died Friday, March 18, 2022, in Indianola. No services are planned at this time. Joey is survived by his parents, Marcia (Craig) Cooke; siblings, Eric Davies and Sarah Foote; and other relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his father, Steven R. Hollinger.

Mary Miller

Mary Miller, 87, died March 13, 2022, at the Elite Lodge of Ashworth in West Des Moines. Mary was adopted by Neal and Buena (Richardson) McMullen. She grew up on farms near Webb and Storm Lake. She wed John Miller in 1955, and they enjoyed 65 years together before he preceded her in death. Mary graduated from Providence Consolidated High School and Buena Vista University.
Mary briefly was a teacher before dedicating her life to raising a family with John.
Her children, Steve (Cheryl) Miller, Robert (Helen) Miller, Deanna Miller and Dave (Ann) Miller, survive, along with other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held Monday, April 4, 11 a.m., at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 3066 75th St., Urbandale, followed by burial at Iowa Veterans Cemetery.

Calvin ‘Mike’ Sinks

Calvin E. “Mike” Sinks, 101, died on March 17, 2022. He was a resident of West Des Moines for 50 years. He was employed by IC Industries as a general manager then promoted to vice president. His career lasted for 40 years with Pepsi. He ran the local Pepsi-Cola bottling plant in Urbandale from 1969 to 1986. He was active in Rotary International and was a member of the Royal Order of Jesters in the Masonic Order.
Surviving are his two daughters, Shellie Scott and Sue Godwin; daughter-in-law Anne Edel Sinks; and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Ellen; sons Curtis Sinks and Michael Sinks; and grandson Conner Evan Sinks.
Graveside services were March 23 at Resthaven Cemetery in West Des Moines.

Jeanette Leonard

Jeannette Leonard, 93, died March 11, 2022, after a brief illness. Honoring her request, there will be no services. Burial will be at Resthaven Cemetery. Jeannette grew up in Ottumwa where she met Bob Leonard, her high school sweetheart. Bob and Jeanette married and made their home in Des Moines where they raised three children. Jeanette worked for Betty Hill Dance Studio as a bookkeeper and retired at the age of 88.
She is survived by her children, David (Sheri), Doug (Janis) and Nancy; grandchildren, Krissy, Kathy, TJ and Michelle; and great-grandchildren, AJ and Carlie Jo. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob, and grandson, Robert.

Marilyn L. Larson

Marilyn L. Larson, 88, died Feb. 16, 2022, at Mercy Hospice in Johnston surrounded by her family. Marilyn is survived by her daughters, Chris (Jim) Romar, Jeanne (John “Tim”) Nichol and Susan (John) Malloy, and other family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Richard.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, March 26, 10:30 a.m., at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, followed by a luncheon. Marilyn will be laid to rest next to her husband at Iowa Veterans Cemetery at a later date.

Mariann Louise Clark

Mariann Clark spent the first third of her 64-year career at Iowa Methodist Medical Center nursing polio victims in iron lungs and assisting during Iowa’s first pediatric open-heart surgery in 1957. For the past four decades, she helped recruit key medical personnel and organized events for Iowa Health Systems.
Mariann graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1947 and the Iowa Methodist School of Nursing in 1950. As a student nurse in 1948, she met Bob Clark, a patient in the orthopedic ward who had broken his collarbone while playing halfback on Drake University’s football team. They were married June 5, 1951, and had three children: Deborah, Heidi and Brian. Bob’s career as a lawyer took the family to Tulsa, Washington, D.C., and Birmingham, England during the 1960s. When they returned to Des Moines in 1968, Mariann resumed her nursing career in the emergency room at Methodist Hospital. A decade later, David Ramsey, chief executive of Methodist’s parent company, Iowa Health Systems, asked Mariann to help recruit nurses, making her the first nurse recruiter in Iowa. Before long, she was also recruiting doctors and other medical technicians for the statewide hospital network now known as UnityPoint Health. When she retired in 2016, a plaque was placed outside her office in the Methodist Medical Complex reserving the space for her whenever she could stop by.
Mariann died March 15, 2022. She is survived by her husband, Robert Clark; daughters, Deborah (Stanley) Stewart and Heidi (Bill) Owens; son, Brian Clark; and many other family and friends. Services were held March 20 at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway.

Adrian T. ‘Pete’ Peterschmidt

Adrian T. “Pete” Peterschmidt, 93, died of natural causes Saturday, March 12, 2022, in Des Moines. He was born in Lee County, grew up on a farm near West Point, and attended St. Ambrose College and Iowa State University where he studied engineering. He married Rosemary Schmitz in 1950. They had five children. His career spanned 40 years with Barton Solvents in Davenport and Des Moines. He retired in 1991.
In later years, Pete reconnected with Pauline Brinck, a high school friend, and they were married in 1995. He is survived by his wife, Pauline; children Doug (Ann), Catherine Johnson, Mary (Bob) Bursaw, Tim (Brenda); and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Rosemary (Schmitz) Peterschmidt, and son Ted.
A visitation is planned for 9:30 a.m., Saturday, May 21, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in West Des Moines, followed by a 10:30 a.m. Mass. Internment will take place at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Davenport. For a complete obituary, go to IlesCares.com.

Jacquelyne Daphne Leon

Jacquelyne Daphne Leon, 92, died March 12, 2022. She is survived by her daughter, Trina Hronich, and two sons, Fred and David. She was preceded in death by her husband, Trinidad, and son Christopher.
A visitation was held March 16 at McLaren’s Chapel, West Des Moines, with a rosary following. Burial was at Resthaven Cemetery.

Rex L. Zimmerman

Rex Lewis “Papa” Zimmerman, 73, died of cancer March 16, 2022, surrounded by his family. The family hosted a Celebration of Life open house at Memorial Services of Iowa March 19. He attended the Kansas City Art Institute, where he met his wife of 53 years, Kristie (Nefzger). The couple had two daughters, Tara (Brown) and Kali.
He was involved in several successful business ventures, including as part-owner of Des Moines Gun & Pawn until his retirement in 2018. During his retirement, he worked at Canoyer Garden Center and Brooks Brothers and created art at home. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and spent his last 2.5 years going through treatment and spending extra special time with his family and close friends. For a full obituary, visit www.AnkenyMemorial.com.

Paul Jones

Paul Jones, 73, of Ankeny, died March 12, 2022, at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. A visitation was held March 17 at Ankeny Memorial funeral home. Paul started Jones Construction Company in Ankeny where he worked with his sons, Mark and Todd.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Joyce; son, Mark; and other relatives and friends.

Elizabeth Page McCullough

Elizabeth Page McCullough, 76, died Thursday, March 17, 2022, at her residence in Winterset. Visitation, with family present, will be Wednesday, March 23 from 5-7 p.m. at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home, Winterset Chapel. A memorial service will take place at 10 a.m., Thursday, March 24 at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home, Winterset Chapel with Pastor Jeff Binns officiating. Inurnment will follow at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery, Van Meter, at 11 a.m.
Liz was born in Winterset and was a 1964 graduate of Winterset High School. Liz and Dale McCullough were married May 2, 1965, in Winterset. For a time, they lived in Des Moines and Kearney, Missouri, but returned to Winterset in 1994. Liz was a member of the George Strait Fan Club, and she always rooted for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Liz was a beautician, owned her own beauty shop, and was a beautician at West Bridge (now Azria) Care Center. She also spent time as a traffic manager at Davis Paint and as a custodian at the Winterset Schools.
She is survived by her son, Todd (Pam) McCullough; granddaughter, Shelby RaNee McCullough; and brother, Don (Judy) Henson. Her husband preceded her in death. A full obituary is online at www.caldwellparrish.com.

Raymond ‘Ray’ Lee Sexton

Raymond “Ray” Lee Sexton, 84, died March 17, 2022. He was born in Des Moines. He graduated from Bondurant High School where he played football and basketball. He attended Drake University and was a member of the Iowa National Guard. He married Phyllis Schaffer on April 27, 1957. He had a long career as the vice president of Town Financial for more than 40 years. He attended mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Ray is survived by his daughter, Shari (Sean); sons, Mark (Jane) and David (Giovanna); and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis, and daughter Debra.
Visitation was March 21, 9 a.m. at St Mary of Nazareth Catholic Church in Des Moines with Mass following. He was laid to rest in Glendale Cemetery.

John Arl Fine

John Arl Fine, 72, of Johnston, died March 14, 2022, in Lantana, Florida, from complications of ALS. John grew up in Bloomfield and lived in rural Moulton until 1997. In retirement, John wintered in Florida and spent his summers in Johnston. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Bloomfield Country Club on Aug. 6.

Juno, Arabella and Harper Clements

On Saturday, March 12, 2022, Juno 12, Arabella 10, and Harper 7, died in a car accident in Kansas while traveling to visit family down south.
Juno Keenan Clements was a sixth grader at Summit Middle School in Johnston. Juno loved going to school, especially to see her friends. She was a straight-A student and the perfect role model to her younger sisters. She loved to read and recently became interested in anime. She will be most remembered for her selflessness and putting others first.
Arabella Jeannette Clements was a fourth grader at Timber Ridge Elementary School. Arabella had a sensitive and tender heart. She also had a big imagination and was determined. She enjoyed writing stories and cooking. Her competitiveness was the highest in the family and she would try her best at nearly everything she did because she liked to accomplish her goals.
Harper Effie Clements was in second grade at Timber Ridge Elementary School. Even though Harper was the youngest, she was fiercely independent. She wouldn’t let anything keep her down and she always persevered. She loved all things rainbow. She loved anything mythical. Disney movies were her greatest creative inspiration.
A visitation to celebrate their lives will be on Wednesday, March 23, 5-8 p.m. at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway. A full obituary is online at www.Hamiltonsfuneralhome.com.

Alex Sheets

Services for Alexander Jacob Sheets, 29, of Altoona, who died March 16, 2022, in Iowa City, were held Monday, March 21 at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola with burial following in the Rising Sun Cemetery.
Alex is survived by his father, Bruce (Jill) Sheets; siblings, Johanna (Chris) MacKenzie, Andy Sheets, Trevor Grass, Tyler Grass, Jesse Hanson, Timothy Grass and Summer Minor; and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Carolyn Sheets. For a full obituary, visit www.overtonfunerals.com.

Steven C. Schafer

Steven “Steve” C. Schafer, 70, of Adel, died March 7, 2022. He was born in Waterloo and graduated from Grundy Center High School in 1969. He received his associate’s degree from Marshalltown Community College and later earned his bachelor’s degree from Upper Iowa University and his master’s degree from Drake University.
In 1970, while in Marshalltown, Steve worked as a manager at Little Jenny’s, a local convenience store gas station. It was there he met his wife, Cathy. They dated for 2.5 years and were married on Sept. 22, 1973, in Grundy Center, just four days after Cathy’s 18th birthday. They had five children: Catharine, Valerie, Matthew, Joseph and Daniel. Steve worked multiple jobs throughout his life, up to three jobs at one time to support his family.
His children Catharine and Daniel preceded him in death. Steve is survived by his wife, Cathy; his children, Valerie, Matt (Kelly) and Joseph (Jackie); and his grandchildren, Kasey, William, Jackson, Mackenzie, Eli, Liam and Jaren.
Services were held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Waukee on March 11, 2022. Steve will be laid to rest near his two children at the Oakdale Cemetery in Adel. Ernst Funeral & Cremation Services of Waukee was in charge of arrangements.

Ronald Wayne Rickert

Ronald Wayne Rickert, 75, of De Soto, formerly of rural Humeston, died at MercyOne Hospice in Johnston on March 8, 2022. A funeral service was held March 14 at Caldwell Parrish Funeral – McCalley Chapel in Adel. A graveside service was held March 15 at the Humeston Cemetery located north of Humeston.
He was born in Leon and graduated from Mormon Trail High School. Following high school, Ron gained his skills as a mechanic through trade schooling in Kansas City. After his time in trade school, Ron proudly served his country in the United States Army in the Vietnam War from 1966-1968. On Feb. 3, 1968 in LeRoy, Ron married Patricia Williams. They had three children, Michelle, Nicole and Clay. They lived in De Soto, where he was an auto mechanic for many years.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia; daughter, Nicole (Jamie) Morey; son, Clay (Gretchen) Rickert; grandchildren, Devin, Savannah, Liv and Luke; and other relatives and friends. His daughter, Michelle, preceded him in death. A full obituary can be found at www.caldwellparrish.com.

Shane Robert Denman

Shane Robert Denman, 32, of Johnston, formerly of Adel, died surrounded by his family on March 10, 2022, in Des Moines. He graduated from Adel DeSoto Minburn High School in 2007, where he made friendships that lasted a lifetime. He is survived by his mother, Julie Denman; brother Spencer Denman; sisters Alex Denman and Sydney Denman; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Douglas Denman. Visitation was March 15 at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home in Adel.

Velda Fay James

Velda Fay James, 88, died March 6, 2022, at home. A Mass of Christian Burial was held Thursday, March 17 at St. Pius X Catholic Church. Graveside services followed at Hopeville Cemetery, Hopeville.
Velda was born in Barney and graduated from Murray High School and later from Creighton University. She married Gerald “Red” James in 1950. He preceded her in death. She is survived by her children, Jerome (Myra) James, Edward (Lulu) James, Sheila Stevens (Kevin) and Susan Donnelly, and many other relatives and friends.
A vigil service was held March 16 at Iles Westover Chapel. A full obituary is available at IlesCares.com.

Lonny Ray Bartels

Lonny Ray Bartels, 81, died March 12, 2022, at Mercy Hospice in Johnston. Memorial services were held March 17 at St. Paul Presbyterian Church in Johnston. He was born in Carroll and married Janet Mason on Sept. 24, 1961, in Westside. Lonny was an accountant for Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield, retiring in 2001.
He is survived by his wife, Janet Bartels; his children, Patricia (Rob) Atkinson, Janette (Skip) Frey and Brett Bartels; and many other relatives and friends. A full obituary is available at IlesCares.com.

Curt Jarvis

A Celebration of Life for Curt Jarvis, 66, of Waukee will be held on Friday, March 18, 2022, at 11 a.m. at the Lamb Funeral Home in Greenfield. The family will greet friends one hour prior to services. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneralhomes.com.

Glenda Guiberson-Dittmar

Glenda Dee Guiberson-Dittmar, 70, of Norwalk died March 6, 2022, at her home after complications from cancer. She grew up in Norwalk and graduated from Norwalk High School in 1969. She married Robert Dittmar on Aug. 26, 1986, in Lake Tahoe.
After graduating high school, Glennie worked at Hertz Car Rental at the Des Moines International Airport. From there, she worked at Avis Car Rental and ended her 30-year career at National Rental Car.
She is survived by her husband of 35 years, Bob; sons, Rob (Lina) Dittmar and Brad (Amy) Dittmar; along with many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held March 15 at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway in West Des Moines. Burial took place at the Chapel Hill Gardens Cemetery in Urbandale.

Joy Elizabeth Graham

Joy Elizabeth Graham, 89, died March 6, 2022, at Good Samaritan Center in Indianola. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until services at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, March 18 at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola with burial following at the Belmont Cemetery in Milo. She grew up in the Milo area and graduated from Milo High School. On Feb. 16, 1954, she married Richard Wright. They had four children, Rebecca (Becky), Joleen, Joe and Lisa. Later in life, Joy married Guy Graham.
Joy was a stay-at-home mom and second hand on the farm east of Milo. After the children were older, she went to work as an administrative secretary at Iowa Realty in Indianola. After years in Indianola, she moved to Franklin, Tennessee, where she worked for the county of Washington in the recorder’s office.
She was preceded in death by her husband Richard Wright, husband Guy Graham, and daughter Becky (Tim) Elbert, among other relatives. She is survived by daughter Joleen Wright of Indianola, son Joe (Peggy) Wright of Milo, and daughter Lisa (Donnie) Wilson of Indianola, as well as other relatives and friends.

Ronald Dean Baird

Ronald Dean Baird died Jan. 31, 2022, in Des Moines. Services were held March 11 at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola. He was self-employed as a landscaper. He is survived by his children, Loria Baird, Jared (Dawn) Baird, Donnasue Baird; special friend Ruth Laverman; and many other relatives and friends.

Johnny ‘John’ Bumgarner

Services for Johnny “John” Bumgarner, 86, who died March 8, 2022, were held March 12 at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola with burial following in the Indianola I.O.O.F. Cemetery. He is survived by his daughters, Vicki (Tracy) Jensen and Julie (Mark) Peck, and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Bumgarner.

Horst Bommert

Horst Bommert, 87, died March 7, 2022. A Celebration of Life is scheduled for April 24 at Greenwood-Jay Spence Enclosed Shelter in Des Moines from noon to 4 p.m.

Michael wheatcraft west des moines ia obituary

Michael Lewis Wheatcraft

Michael Lewis Wheatcraft, 77, died March 10, 2022, from complications of Myeloid Dysplastic Syndrome, a blood cancer. Mike was born in Des Moines, moving to West Des Moines in 1958. He graduated from Valley High School in 1962. He attended Grand View University and Drake University before graduating with a business degree from Simpson College in 1969. Mike began his career in the watch industry as a sales representative for Bulova in 1979. He later worked for Seiko Corporation for 14 years and Tissot for 10 years. Mike joined Joseph Jewelers in 2006 as a watch buyer and co-managed the Joseph watch department at West Glen until his retirement in 2016.
Mike and Mary Jane Brown were married in 1967 and welcomed daughter Cris in 1968. Mike later married Cathy Zinger, celebrating their 41st anniversary last fall. Mike and Cathy had two more daughters: Blair in 1983 and Brooke in 1986. He is survived by his wife, Cathy; daughters, Cris Wheatcraft, Blair Wheatcraft and Brooke Wheatcraft (Stockbauer), and other relatives and friends.
A visitation with the family was held on Wednesday, March 16 at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel in West Des Moines. A private family burial will be at Resthaven Cemetery.

Anna gilliland west des moines ia obituary

Anna Marie Gilliland

Anna Marie Gilliland, 89, died March 3, 2022, in her sleep in West Des Moines. She was born at home in Des Moines. She graduated from St. Charles High School in St. Charles in 1951. Anna married her husband of 70 years, Marion Lee Gilliland, on Sept. 21, 1951. They had three children, Terri Lynn, Karen Kay and Donald Lee. Anna enjoyed working for the Meredith Corporation for more than 30 years.
Anna is survived by her husband, Marion; daughters Terri (Alan) Brache and Karen Young; son Donald (Tracie) Gilliland; and many other relatives and friends. Funeral services were March 10 at McLaren’s Funeral Chapel. Burial was at Resthaven Cemetery.

Andrew J. Kaylor

Andrew “Papa” Kaylor, 94, West Des Moines, died surrounded by family March 4, 2022, at EveryStep Kavanagh House in Des Moines. He was born in Cleburne County, Alabama. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served during World War II. He then was a bus driver and drove for more than 50 years for Jefferson Lines, Trailways, Greyhound and Carnival Coaches.
He is survived by his children, John Kaylor, David Kaylor, Beth White, Andy (Karen) Kaylor and Debi Longfield, as well as many other relatives and friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held March 26 from 5-8 p.m. in the Clubhouse at Broadmoor at Jordan Creek Apartments, 6565 Wistful Vista Drive in West Des Moines. He will be laid to rest in Bowdon, Georgia, at a later date.

Isabelle Lemke

Isabelle Joan Lemke, 91, died March 8, 2022. Services will be held Saturday, April 23 at 10 a.m. at Creekside Church, 2743 82nd Place in Urbandale. Family will greet friends following the service.
She was born in Seymour and graduated from Seymour High School and Northeast Missouri State. She worked as a school teacher and later in the advertising industry and retail. She was an active member of the Des Moines Women’s Club, Beta Sigma Phi and Creekside Church.
She is survived by her children, Michael Lemke, Sue Lemke, Jon (Peggy) Lemke and Nan (Vance) Hahn, and other relatives and friends. Isabelle was preceded in death by her husband, Marvin Lemke. A full obituary can be found at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

Dollie Ann Letts

Dollie Ann Letts, 84, died March 5, 2022, at Bickford in West Des Moines. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on March 18 at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home & Crematory, with a visitation held one hour prior. Interment will take place at a later date at Iowa Veterans Cemetery. She was born as a triplet with her sisters, Donna and Darlene, in Forest City and was a graduate of Forest City High School. She married Earl Letts on July 14, 1963. They had two children, James and Ronald. Dollie was a secretary for the Iowa State Patrol for many years.
She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Earl; sons, Jim and Ron; granddaughter, Shailey; sisters, Donna and Darlene; and many extended family members. A full obituary can be found at www.caldwellparrish.com.