Tom Rae Spidle

Tom Rae Spidle, 66, of Newton died on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Unity Point Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. A funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m., Monday, June 6, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 10-11:30 a.m., Monday, at the funeral home.  Memorials in Tom’s name (checks made payable to Donna Spidle) may be left at the funeral home.

Tom, the son of Richard and Gretchen Pauline (Miller) Spidle, was born on July 8, 1955 in Leon. His family moved to Newton while Tom was in grade school. Tom graduated from Newton High School in 1973 and later received his BSN from DMACC.  Tom worked at the Maytag Company before owning and operating the Outer Limits ice cream shop and arcade in the Newton Shopping Center in the 1980’s. While there, he met Donna Wright and they would later marry on July 3, 1987 in Newton. Tom would return to Maytag for many years in both the factory and in the office.  He later worked at Hamilton Glass, True Value, and was currently employed at DMACC; working as a groundskeeper and in construction.  Tom was a skilled carpenter and always had construction side jobs as well. 

Tom was talented in everything he did. He could draw, paint, bowl, and golf and he did them all at a high level. He was a member of Westwood Golf Course and loved his time golfing with friends.  Tom also enjoyed landscaping and planting flower beds for Donna. 

Tom is survived by his wife, Donna Spidle of Newton; step-sons, Eric (Nina) Forst of Newton and Tim (Beth) Forst of Winterset; 12 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; his siblings, Richard Spidle of Waukee, Kay (Elmer) McCann of Omaha, and Deb (Jerry) Enochson of North Liberty; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Jack Spidle. 

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