All Obituaries

Douglas Keith Versteegh, 62, of Newton died on Thursday, February 25, 2021, at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 3, at Community Heights Alliance Church in Newton. The family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m., Tuesday, March 2, at the funeral home.  The family will be requiring masks to be worn during all services. Memorials in Doug’s name (checks made payable to Jocile Versteegh) may be left...

Ruth Elaine Betson, 85, of Monroe died on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, at Comfort House in Pella.  A private family service will be held.  Memorials in Elaine’s name (checks made payable to Ella Oswalt) may be left at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory.  Elaine, the daughter of Harold Franklin and Mamie Murl (Pickett) Link, was born on March 31, 1935 in Unionville, Missouri.  She grew up in Unionville and later in Newton, where she...

   A Celebration of Joe’s Life will be held at a later date.    Memorials to the Emerson Hough Chapter of the Izaak Walton League or the University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center can be left at the funeral home.    Joe, the son of Max and Susan (Nesmith) Dodge, was born July 7, 1950, in Newton. He was a lifelong Newton resident and graduated from Newton High School in 1968. He attended Iowa State University for two years on a wrestling...

Nora Jean (Bowers) Sandrock Shively, 75, of Newton died on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, at Accura Health Care of Newton East. The family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m., Thursday, MARCH 4, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory.  Memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association may be left at the funeral home.  Nora Jean, the daughter of Dean and Nora Belle (Vinson) Stacy, was born on October 2, 1945 in Colfax.  She grew up in Newton and graduated from...

Vicki Lynn Carter, 64, of Newton died on Monday, February 15, 2021, at her home.  No services are scheduled at this time. The Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory will be handling the cremation.  Memorials to Vicki’s family (checks made payable to David Carter) may be left at the funeral home. Vicki, the daughter of Delbert and Phyllis (Shafer) Peiffer, was born on January 4, 1957 in Newton.  She was a lifelong resident of Newton and lived most of...

Arlene E. Crocker, 99, of Newton died on Friday, February 12, 2021, at Nelson Manor. A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, February 19, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 12:00 p.m. until the time of service on Friday.  In lieu of flowers, memorials in Arlene’s name (checks made payable to Pam Wever) may be left at the funeral home.  Memorial money will be used to support the many causes Arlene...

Wilbur “Wil” A. Hotchkin, 68, of Grinnell died on Thursday, February 11, 2021, at his home.   A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, February 20, 2021, at the Eagles Club in Grinnell.        Wil, the son of Bernard and Caroline (Lidtka) Hotchkin, was born on May 1, 1952 in Grinnell, Iowa.  He graduated high school from Boy’s Town in Omaha, Nebraska.  Wil lived most of his life in...

Blanche E. (Fisher) Draegert, 73 of Baxter, passed away February 9, 2021 at her home under the care of EveryStep Hospice.  A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 17, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory.  The family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m., Tuesday, February 16, at the funeral home. The family is requesting masks be worn for both the visitation and service.  In lieu of flowers, memorials to EveryStep Hospice may be left...

Donald “Don” R. Patterson, 83, of Newton died on Tuesday, February 9, 2021, at University Park Nursing and Rehab in Des Moines.  A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, February 17, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Memorials to the U.S. Veteran’s Alliance may be left at the funeral home. Don, the son of Russell and Rosa (Schultz) Patterson, was born on...

Ernest “Ernie” E. Albers, 90, of Newton, formerly of Grandview, died on Sunday, February 7, 2021 at Park Centre.  A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 13, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 10-11 a.m., Saturday, at the funeral home. The family is requesting everyone to wear masks. Memorials to Ernie’s family may be left at the funeral home. Ernie, the son of Eilert and...