All Obituaries

A funeral service for Clarice will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, February 27, 2020, at the First Christian Church in Newton. The family will greet friends from 10-11 a.m., Thursday, February 27, at the church. Memorials to the First Christian Church can be left at the church on the day of the service or at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Newton.    Clarice, the daughter of Robert and Zelpha (Russell) McWhirter, was born April 15, 1923, in Prairie City,...

Tom’s family will greet friends from 4:30-7:30 p.m., Friday, February 28th at the funeral home to celebrate his life. A private family burial will be held at the Hewitt Cemetery in rural Sully at a later date. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials to the American Legion Post 355 in Kellogg. Memorials may be left at the Wallace Family Funeral Home. If you are mailing the memorial to the funeral home please add, Attn: Martin Family on the envelope. Thomas...

Joseph “Glen” Ponder passed away February 19, 2020, exactly one month shy of his 92nd birthday.  He was the eldest son of Bernice (Meredith) and Joseph Ralph Ponder.  Born March 19, 1928 in the RR4 Newton (now East 68th Street South) at the home that his father built.  He graduated from Newton Senior High School in 1948, somewhat late due to childhood illnesses.  Glen’s interest was to become a machinist and made a number of...

Julia Joyce “Judy” Brungardt, 79, of Newton died on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at the Unity Point Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.  A visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m., Sunday, February 23, 2020, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory.  Memorials to Judy’s family (checks made payable to Al Brungardt) may be left at the funeral home. Judy, the daughter of Vernon and Myra (Valentine) Wearmouth, was born on October 22, 1940 in...

Donald Lee Mason “Grandpa Don”, 75, of Colfax, passed away Monday, February 17, 2020, at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center.  A celebration of Don’s life will be held from 2-4 p.m., Sunday, March 1, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory.  Memorials to the Colfax Senior Center may be left at the funeral home. Donald was born at home on November 21, 1944 in Williamsburg. He was the youngest of four children born to Albert Lee and Eleanor...

Ellen Jorgena (Thorson) Onnen, 94, went to be with the Lord on Sunday February 16th. She resided in Park Center and passed peacefully in her sleep and is now with her husband Dale in heaven on what would’ve been his 95th birthday.   Ellen was born in Vincent, Iowa on October 4th, 1925, the daughter of Arthur Elvin Thorson and Amelia Peterson and was one of five children. The family moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa when she was an infant.  Nursing was always Ellen’s...

Merlin Dean Terlouw, 72, of Reasnor passed away on Sunday, February 16, 2020, at Park Centre in Newton. A celebration of Merlin’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 22, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m., Friday, February 21, at the funeral home.  A private family interment will be held at Sully Cemetery.  Memorials to the Killduff United Methodist Church or the St Nick’s Christmas...

Charles Fredrick “Fred” Baird, II, 72, of Newton died on Sunday, February 16, 2020, at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center.  A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m., Thursday, February 20, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory followed by a visitation until 6:00 p.m.  Memorials to Meals on Wheels may be left at the funeral home. Fred, the son of Charles and Mary (Hannan) Baird, was born on April 26, 1947 in Creston.  He attended...

Shirley M. Van Genderen, 71, of Newton died on Friday, February 14, 2020, at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center.  A visitation will be held from 2-4 p.m., Sunday, February 23, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Memorials in Shirley’s name (checks made payable to Heather Nystrom) may be left at the funeral home.   Shirley, the daughter of Frank and Betty (Kier) Illingworth, was born on August 15, 1948.  She graduated from Newton High...

Beverly “Bev” A. Nearmyer, 90, of Newton died on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, at her home in rural Newton. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, February 17, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 2-4 p.m., Sunday, February 16, at the funeral home.  Memorials to the United Presbyterian Church, Wesley Life Hospice, or to the Donor’s Choice may be left at the funeral home.  Bev, the daughter of...