Phyllis N. (Ver Steeg) Schakel

Phyllis N. Schakel, age 91, passed away peacefully on July 14, 2017.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, July 22, 2017, at the First United Methodist Church, 210 N. 2nd Ave E., Newton.

The family will greet friends from 10 a.m. until the time of service on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at the church. Burial will be at Newton Union Cemetery in Newton.

In lieu of flowers the family request memorial contributions be made to the First United Methodist Church or Skiff Medical Center Auxiliary. Memorials may be left at the church at the time of the service or at the Wallace Family Funeral Home in Newton. Memorials may also be mailed to the funeral home, please add, Attn: Schakel Family on the envelope.

Phyllis Ver Steeg Schakel was born to George and Margaret (Grundman) Ver Steeg, February 9, 1926, in Pella, Iowa. She graduated from Pella High School in 1944, and attended Central College. On June 29, 1945, Phyllis was united in marriage with Mark E. Schakel in Pella. Phyllis was a member of the Newton Mothers' Club, LC chapter of P.E.O. and the First United Methodist Church.          

Phyllis was a devoted mother and wife to her children and husband Mark (her childhood boyfriend).  She contributed both her time and talents to First United Methodist Church--sewing and baking, and in the Sunday School Nursery for more than 20 years. She also knit for Skiff Hospital's Common Threads group and sewed stockings to swaddle their Christmas babies. She loved being involved with the community of Newton by assisting in Iowa Sculpture Festival annually and volunteering her reading skills to Woodrow Wilson students. She loved spending time with her daughters as a Bluebird leader and supported her son and daughter at swim meets. She played tennis in her round robin group, playing every chance she could. Additionally, she enjoyed reading, sewing, cooking, line dancing, water skiing, quilting numerous blankets and entertaining on the pontoon with her very special dinners. She and Mark loved traveling, often vacationing in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Hawaii and Florida.  The whole family spent time together for 25 years, annually enjoying family reunions throughout the US.     

Phyllis is survived by daughters and sons-in-law, Linda Schakel of Washington, D.C., Julie and Dennis Earhart of Georgetown, Texas, Kristin and Olin Webb of Dallas, Texas; son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Christy Schakel of Santa Rosa, California; granddaughter, Jami Schakel of Los Angeles, California; sister, Carol Manussier of Minneapolis, Minnesota; brother and sister-in-law, Carl and Jeanne Ver Steeg of Des Moines, Iowa and brother-in-law, Curtis Snow of Pasadena, Maryland.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Mark E. Schakel; sister, Marcia Snow; brother-in-law, Vic Manussier and her grandson, Nathan Earhart.

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