Murry E Dammeier

     Murry Edwin Dammeier, age 87, of Newton, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on June 21, 2026.  A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 26, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory.  The family will greet friends from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Newton Community School District to be used for the Aurora Heights Elementary Lunch Program.

     Murry was born on April 12, 1939, in Metz, Iowa, and was the son of Lewis and Grace (Walker) Dammeier.  Murry was a lifelong resident of Jasper County.  He lived his entire adult life in Newton, a community he loved deeply and proudly called home.

     On May 17, 1963, Murry married Diane Davis. Together, for 63 years, they built a life centered on family, hard work, and commitment.

     Murry was a member of the Foursquare Church, where he served as an usher.  Throughout the years, he was always willing to perform a variety of other jobs that aided in the function and warmth of the church.

     One overarching theme of Murry’s life was his passionate dedication to hard work.  In childhood, he started working with his family as “hired hands” on a farm in Metz.  He never stopped working until the age of 80, when his body made him slow down.  Murry worked for his older brother, Derald, doing various odd jobs including grave digging and providing wrecker services.  He went on to spend several years working at Firestone in Des Moines.  He traveled all over the state changing tires.  In 1968, Murry began 33 years of dedicated service to Maytag, where he was known for his strong work ethic and reliability, only missing work to attend one of his son’s sporting events.   Following his retirement from Maytag, he continued serving his community by working at Aurora Heights Elementary School. For 18 years he worked as a night custodian and groundskeeper.  He enjoyed interacting with students, staff, and families.  While he tolerated many jobs throughout his life, he truly loved working for the school system. 

     Few things brought Murry more joy than sports.  He was a passionate and loyal supporter of Newton High School athletics and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes.  Whether cheering from the stands, following a game on television or his Walkman radio, or discussing the latest season with friends and family, his enthusiasm for sports was unmatched.  His love for his teams was known by all who knew him.  He spent several years donating a large portion of his time to Newton High School baseball as the ticket taker for games.  He also helped put on tournaments and worked to improve the baseball fields.

     More than anything, Murry will be remembered for his generous heart.  He was the kind of person who would do anything for anyone, especially his family.  He never hesitated to lend a hand.  He always put the needs of others before his own.  His kindness, humility and selflessness made a lasting impact on countless lives.

     Murry was the last surviving member of the family into which he was born.  He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Derald Dammeier; and his seven sisters, Vera Boles, Hilma McKinney, Luella Bragg, Roma Mosher, Marceda Romick, Merita Dammeier, and Arlene Boyer.

     He is survived by his beloved wife, Diane; his four children, Kevin (Cheli) of DeWitt, Kory (Melissa) of Norwalk, Kasey (Molly) of Johnston, and Kendall (Molly) of Nisswa, Minnesota; thirteen grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and many extended family members and friends who will cherish his memory and carry forward the values by which he lived.

     Murry’s legacy is one of love, generosity, hard work, and unwavering dedication to family, friends, and community.  He will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Murry E Dammeier, please visit our floral store.