In Memory

Honoring our classmates who are no longer with us.


If you know of a classmate who has passed and is not listed here, please add them by clicking the Add Memorial button.

[No pictures available for John Muelhaupt, Joe Porter, Steve Blank]

Lois Ward (Larsen)

Birth Date: 1941-06-04
Graduation year: 1959
Deceased Date: 2024-01-07
There are currently no tributes.

Anne Driscoll (Anderson)

Birth Date: 1941-09-16
Deceased Date: 2023-11-27
Obituary:
Anne Swanson Anderson Driscoll of Des Moines passed away on November 27, 2023. A Celebration of her Life will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, December 4, 2023 at Scottish Rite Park Penthouse, 2909 Woodland Avenue, Des Moines. Anne was cremated and her ashes are interred in a handmade ceramic apple made by her cousin, Lynn Seydel. Anne will be placed, next to her husband, in the columbarium at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery, near Van Meter, IA, 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 5, 2023.

Anne was born September 16, 1941, in Alta, IA to Everett and Ruth Swanson. Her mother died in childbirth. Anne was adopted by her aunt and uncle, Art and Vella Anderson, (sister of Everett Swanson) of Gowrie, IA. Anne's early years were in Rockwell City, IA where her father was Superintendent of the School. It was there that she started "playing school", her favorite activity. At 8 years of age, she started her picture files and even used some of them in her teaching career!

Her family moved to Des Moines, IA in 1951, where she went to Monroe Elementary for one year. Then to the "new" Franklin Junior High and Roosevelt High School, graduating in 1959.

She was very active at Roosevelt High School. Her favorite was being president of Future Teachers of America (FTA). She created an exchange between Roosevelt future teachers and the students at Hubbell Elementary. They helped the teachers and listened to the students read. It was very successful. She loved her years of learning and could not wait to go to Drake University to become a teacher. At Drake she was president of KBK, a student teacher's organization of 450 members. She was very involved in student ISEA and NEA.

She was initiated into Delta Kappa Gamma (teachers' sorority) and Delta Kappa Psi (honorary teachers' sorority). She loved her service sorority, BKG, Beta Kappa Gamma. They did community projects. She had offices in all the organizations she joined. She hosted, with the Dean of Education, outstanding educators that came to Drake as guest speakers. She loved everything about Drake and served on the Student Alumni Board later to become a member of the Drake National Alumni Board during her teaching career and after she retired became an "unofficial ambassador of Drake."

Her love of teaching started at Greenwood Elementary in Des Moines, IA where she taught 1st and 2nd grade for 11 years. She loved going to National Teachers Conventions and bringing back many innovative ideas and knowledge to share with her students such as the first use of a real military parachute in PE (in the gym with first graders). In Des Moines she was the first elementary teacher to use a polyethylene "under the water" 10' huge cube, full of sand, shells, some blow up animals and 3 films going on 3 walls of the cube. Her students learned a lot about science. She was the first in Des Moines to have a set of six TR5-80 computers in her classroom. Students were so excited to have the Superintendent of Schools come to see what they learned! Anne was chosen to plan, stage, and carry out several social study lessons with the help of a social studies TV teacher.

The list of Anne's accomplishments goes on and on. She was a supervisor of students from Drake, ISU, UNI and U of I. Anne and a 5th grade teacher created "7-11 Pals" at Greenwood. They did all sorts of things together through the year, finishing with a book written by their 5th grade pal. One of her proudest achievements was a former student who wrote a book and included a paragraph in the forward about Anne and how she encouraged her in higher education - lawyer, author, professor and Dean of the College of Women's Literature and Law at the University of Cincinnati.

Anne received her BA and MS from Drake University and had begun to work towards her doctorate. She was nominated by one of her former students to be Who's Who in American Teachers. Principals, teachers, parents and students loved her for her professionalism and kind and caring manner. She retired in 1996 after teaching at Rice, Monroe and Casady. Her goal was to teach until age 55 and she did it.

It was in her 10th year of teaching that she met a submarine sailor (land duty at Ft. Des Moines not Gray's Lake!) through two of her students' parents, and in 1973 married Donald Driscoll at the P.E.O. headquarters in Des Moines. A year after they were married, they moved to Hawaii where Anne learned ALL about the Navy. She had many a story to tell about overseeing 60 women plus lots of children while their husbands were out to sea! After Don's retirement of 20 years, they returned to Des Moines. She became very involved in Don's Masonic organization. She worked with him as he worked towards and later became Master of Kadosh, the highest office of Masonry. In 1991, she was given the proud honor of being selected Iowa Masonic Teacher of the Year.

Her passion for over 65 years was working as a volunteer at the Salisbury House in Des Moines starting with Future Teachers, being a tour guide during the Iowa State Teachers Convention. Through the years she did inventory of collections, holiday decorating, and holding the $4 million check when the Salisbury House Foundation bought it. She took historical photos as restoration of the house happened inside and out. She worked at parties, weddings, plays, etc., whenever she could.

Anne was very active in her church, Westminster Presbyterian Church and was a member over 65 years. In her youth, she was the top girl student in Youth Club. She was a Sunday school teacher, vacation Bible school teacher, was in the high school and adult choir, a Deacon, an Elder three different times (1st student to be on the church session), and 2nd woman to serve on the session the year the union of the United Presbytery and USA Presbyterian Youth was held. She was President of the SW Presbyterian Council. She was in the first English handbell choir in Des Moines and went to the first handbell choir convention in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

She loved being a part of the life of Des Moines and in later life always kept an eye on the reconstruction of the downtown area. Some of her activities included a founder and trustee of the Iowa Shakespeare Experience. Anne was a proud 60+ year member of P.E.O. Chapter HX. She provided leadership in many different clubs and organizations. She also was a 25+ year member of DMWC (Des Moines Women's Club) and provided leadership in many areas, including Vice President.

At Scottish Rite Park, she served as P.E.O. SRP Group President. She loved going to movies, watching educational TV, playing bridge, and was an England's Royal Family Watcher since Elizabeth was a teen! She loved to make albums and scrapbooks and writing journals about their travels.

She and Don were privileged to travel extensively through Europe, Scandinavia, specifically Sweden, where all of Anne's descendants came from (she is 100% Swedish and proud of it), British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Canada and Hawaii. She gave over 25 programs on their "Trip of a Lifetime" about the Queen Elizabeth II and the Concorde. Anne was a lifelong student and always relished learning and experiencing new things. "Live Good Until You Die" she said often.

Anne is survived by her half-brother, James Swanson (Kathy) of Southport, NC; and half-sister, Joann (Bill) Soults of Berlin, MD; biological uncle, Dean Koeppen of South Sioux City, NE; nephew, Dan Soults (Kelly) of Springfield, VA; and nieces Carrie Soults of Durango, CO; Jana Schlegel of Muskego, WI; Becky (Justin) Revand of Seattle, WA; cousins, Patricia (Ron) Galls of Marcus, IA; Doug (Diane) Henke of Washta IA; Scott (Sandy) Henke of Bloomington, MN; Lynn Seydel of Ames, IA; Kay Craig of Ames, IA; Beth (Mark) Duede of Santa Rosa, CA; Jane (Sam) Lopez de Victoria of Miami, FL; BJ White of Phoenix, AZ; and many grand nieces and nephews. Anne was preceded in death by her biological parents, Everett and Ruth Swanson, her adopted parents, Art and Vella Anderson, and many aunts and uncles.

Anne wanted to extend a special thank you to her many friends and the entire staff at Scottish Rite Park for their wonderful friendship and care over the years. Memorial contributions may be directed to Drake University Education Fund, Scottish Rite Park or Westminster Presbyterian Church. Online condolences are welcome at www.IlesCares.com.
There are currently no tributes.

Gary Fingert

Birth Date: 1941-03-15
Deceased Date: 2023-11-25
Obituary:
Dr. Gary Fingert, 82, passed away on November 25, 2023 at home surrounded by his family. He was born March 15, 1941 in Marshalltown, Iowa to Betty and Hyman Fingert. Gary enjoyed life in Marshalltown and helped his parents in the Fingert's corner grocery store, often delivering groceries on his bicycle to customers in the neighborhood. Gary was twelve when his father passed away. Gary, his brother Morton, and his mother then moved to Des Moines to be closer to family. Gary attended Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, where he was a guard on the 1958 State Championship football team and where he met his wife, Loretta.

Gary attended the University of Iowa and graduated from the College of Dentistry in1966. He was a member of Phi Epsilon Pi fraternity and Delta Sigma Delta Dental Fraternity. Following graduation, Gary and Loretta moved to Virginia, where Gary served his country as a Navy Lieutenant at the Norfolk Naval Station Dental Clinic. He liked to say he fought "tooth decay and Communism" for the USA.

Gary returned to Des Moines in1968 and established a dental practice on the westside. Gary's patients appreciated his skillful care and his gentle hands. After moving away, many patients returned to Des Moines several times a year, in order to have Gary continue to care for their teeth. When the Jewish community sponsored many Russian families, helping them to leave a hostile environment and resettle in Des Moines, Gary cared for their teeth without charge. He often needed to secure an interpreter, in order to tell his grateful patients to "open wide." Gary practiced with Dr. Robert Anderson, in the latter years of his dental career.

Faced with many health challenges, beginning with 7 heart bypasses when he was 47, Gary chose to follow the Ornish Reversing Heart Disease Program, helping to establish it at Des Moines Mercy, where he inspired and mentored heart patients for many years.

Gary was a gifted model ship builder, always beginning with a few planks of lumber and constructing the ships as they would have been built in a shipyard. He built a 6' by 6' model of the Constitution from blueprints of the original ship. He built many models from scratch, rigged them, and attended to minute details to ensure the accuracy of his models. Gary also built a fleet of real boats for his children, Jane and John. He would send for boat building books with plans and instructions and then build boats in a large tent in our backyard. Gary built a Cat's Paw Dingy for his daughter, Jane and a canoe, rowing shell and sailboats for son, John. The men in our Waterbury Circle neighborhood would often come to our tent to view the "Fingert Boatworks." Gary also built an exact replica of our home on Waterbury Circle, providing a lovely dollhouse for Jane, complete with furniture, electricity and a collection of miniature model boats tucked into cases in the third floor attic playroom. Other building projects: a large outdoor playhouse, 4th of July car/float for the neighborhood parade, a balance beam, secret hideout for John, a screened porch and a garage.

Gary was passionate about his family, his dogs, (especially our Black Lab, Merlin) and sailing on the family boat, the "Jane Anne." Gary loved the wind, sunshine and the peaceful sound of the waves lapping the boat and the lines clanking against the mast. He was happiest when he could share a sail with family and friends.

Gary was happily married to Loretta for 59 years. Gary is survived by his daughter, Jane Burnett (Bruce Gilfix) and a son, John (Alejandra) and his beloved grandchildren, Ben Burnett and Luciana Fingert.

Gary touched our family, his patients and friends, with his professional skills, his smile, joy for life, his wit and sense of humor and his love. Thanks to Iowa Heart, UIHC physicians, the VA, Hospice and the loving caregivers who enabled Gary to remain at home as he faced challenges from Parkinson's Disease. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the following organizations in Iowa City: Agudas Achim Synagogue, Animal Care and Adoption Center, and national organizations: Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research and US Sea Cadets.

The funeral will be held at Agudas Achim Synagogue, 401 E Oakdale Blvd, Coralville, Iowa at 12:00 PM on Friday, December 1, 2023. A recording of the funeral will be available at www.lensingfuneral.com later in the afternoon.
There are currently no tributes.

John Hughes

Birth Date: 1941-07-25
Deceased Date: 2023-10-13
Obituary:
John Newton Hughes III, age 82, of Storm Lake, Iowa died Friday, October 13, 2023 at the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake.

Funeral services will take place Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Burial will take place Friday, October 20, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at the Masonic Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements.

On July 25, 1941, John Newton Hughes III was born to John N. Hughes II and Jeanne MacArthur Hughes in Des Moines, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at the First Methodist Church in Des Moines, where he remained a lifelong member. In 1959, John graduated from Roosevelt High School. He went on to attend Northwestern College in Orange City, graduating in 1972 with a degree in Art Education. He then worked as a teacher until he became a social worker in 1978. He worked at the Cherokee Mental Health Institute in Cherokee, Iowa.

On June 9, 1979, John married Pamela Johnson in Storm Lake, Iowa. They were blessed with two children: Young John and Julie.

John enjoyed being active on the Storm Lake library board for twelve years and was a member of the Buena Vista Rifle and Pistol Club for twenty years. His main hobby was photography and sold a few photos to the Iowan Magazine over the years.

John is survived by his beloved wife, Pam Hughes of Storm Lake; daughter: Julie (Dr. David) Jenkins of Phoenix, Arizona; brother: James Hughes of Des Moines, Iowa; step grandchildren: Carrie; Sarah; and Brian; extended family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his father; Judge John N. Hughes Il; mother: Jeanne Hughes and his son: John N. Hughes IV.
There are currently no tributes.

Arthur Boyer

Birth Date: 1941-11-08
Deceased Date: 2023-05-31
Obituary:
Arthur Mitchell Boyer died May 31, 2023, peacefully in his sleep at home. He was born November 8, 1941, in Des Moines, IA and was 81. Services will be held at a later date.

Art was an amazing husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend to many. Art was married 60 years to the love of his life, Ruth “Pete” Boyer. His marriage to Pete was a love story from their first meeting at Methodist Hospital, where he was a patient and she was his nurse. They loved adventure and were committed to adventuring together.

Art and Pete traveled all over the world: island hopping to St. Lucia in their Cessna Skylane 182RG, SCUBA diving in the reefs near Palau, touring Beijing, Bangkok, St. Petersburg and Paris. Their last trip abroad was to Florence in 2016. But in the last few years, their favorite destination was their lake home in the Ozarks, sitting on the deck together and watching the water and enjoying family and friends.

Art loved the oil business. He grew up with his father’s company, Boyer Petroleum, a wholesale lubricant distributor in Des Moines. Art started full-time at the family business in 1964, after returning to Iowa from University of Oklahoma with Pete and their daughter Kristin. His son, David, joined the company in 1990. Art’s leadership sustained and grew Boyer Petroleum. He was admired in the industry both locally and nationally, with a wide-reaching network as a Kendall distributor. What he loved the most about the business were the connections he made with his customers, employees, and the lifelong friends that came from it. He led and influenced the business for five decades, retiring effectively in 2016, when Boyer Petro merged to form Lube-Tech & Partners.

In addition to his wife, Pete, he is survived by daughter, Kristin (Mark) Gahm, and their daughters Tessa (Derek) Brown, children Gavin, Harper, Ace, & Sophia; and Anna (Andrew) Siegrist; son David and his children Elizabeth, Andrea (John) Sagan, Mason (Lauren) & Carson. Art was preceded in death by his parents, George and Marion, and his sisters, Judith and Joyce.

Memorials in Art’s memory may be directed to Animal Rescue League of Iowa, or Food Bank of Iowa.
There are currently no tributes.

Dave Glancy

Deceased Date: 2023-01-12
Obituary:
I received an email from Dave's oldest son, Brian. He said, "I'm emailing with the sad news that my dad passed away on 1/12/23. He lived a full life full of love and is dearly missed."
There are currently no tributes.

Joanne Haakinson

Birth Date: 1941-04-17
Deceased Date: 2023-01-08
Obituary:
Joanne Jessica Haakinson, 81, affectionately known as J.J. or Jay by family and friends, passed away Sunday, January 8, 2023, due to complications from influenza. Born April 17, 1941, in Sioux Falls, SD. Joanne was preceded in death by her parents, William and Mary Haakinson.

She is survived by her two children, Bill (Ocean) Waller of Indianapolis, IN and Antoinette (Jonathan) Lessuk of Los Angeles, CA; two sisters, Betty Elgin and Gwen Haakinson-Brown of Des Moines; brother, William (Lori) Haakinson of Des Moines; and her beloved grandchildren Jasmine, Jessica, and Jonah; great grandchildren and many nieces, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Joanne was a strong woman of many talents. Going to school in Des Moines she graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1959. She immediately began her life’s journey striking out for California to begin her career, following in her father’s footsteps, to become a banker. Starting as a teller working her way up to becoming CFO. Her many accomplishments and achievements show a life well lived. She graduated from the prestigious School of Banking in Seattle. Was the CFO at Bank of Sacramento, CFO at the Bank of San Francisco, and Lloyd’s Bank. Then being tapped first by President Bush then President Obama to serve in the Office of Thrift Supervision rising to Assist. Deputy Director with an office overlooking the White House.

She then retired from Government service while living in Chicago and moved back to her hometown of Des Moines to be with her siblings. Joanne served as an Elder and Deacon at Central Presbyterian Church, was active in P.E.O. and several book clubs (she was a voracious reader), and was a great lover of pets.

Joanne loved to travel all over the world. Her favorite way to see places was by cruise ships and took too many trips to even count. While not one to put up with any foolishness, she was an unbelievably generous and kind person. She will be sorely missed.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 21, 2023 at Central Presbyterian Church, 39th and Grand in Des Moines. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time in the East Parlor at the church. The service will be live streamed on Central’s Facebook page. Memorials can be directed to Central Presbyterian or the UnityPoint Des Moines Foundation.
There are currently no tributes.

Helen Bishop

Deceased Date: 2023-01-02
Obituary:
HELEN BISHOP, 81, died January 2, 2023, after a short battle with bladder cancer.

After graduating from Grinnell College, Helen earned graduate degrees in microbiology -including a PhD., and moved to the Washington, D.C. area, where she worked in her chosen field until retirement.

Not one to attend TRHS Reunions or to keep in touch with many of our classmates, Helen, nevertheless, joined the Committee for the 30th Reunion, held in Washington. She not only attended the Reunion, but she stayed in touch with Committee members for regular get-togethers thereafter.

Helen loved to travel and she took trips to several foreign countries, as well as an Alaskan cruise with the 30th Reunion Committee and a Black Sea cruise with Ken and Kay Drews and John and Ann Collier. Helen also stayed in touch with another classmate, Candy Lamb Warner, and often celebrated birthdays with Candy and Roz Rosenberg, usually over a favorite Peking Duck lunch.

Helen read constantly, followed politics and current events avidly, loved the theatre, played bridge regularly, and kept her rather sardonic sense of humor all of her life.
There are currently no tributes.

John Hobbs

Birth Date: 1941-09-12
Deceased Date: 2022-11-20
Obituary:
John A. Hobbs, 81, of Davenport, passed away on November 20, 2022 at Senior Star Assisted Living. Per his wishes cremation rites have been accorded. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, January 8, 2023 from 2-4pm at FoodAffair Bistro, 1015 Utica Ridge Ct. Bettendorf, IA. Memorials may be left to YMCA of the Iowa Mississippi Valley. Online condolences may be expressed at www.weertsfh.com. Private inurnment will take place at Pine Hill Cemetery.

John was born on September 12, 1941 in Des Moines, IA to Donald and Virginia (Loyet) Hobbs. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in Des Moines and from the University of Iowa. He obtained a master’s of International Finance at Thunderbird College in Arizona. After college, John volunteered in the Peace Corps in Chile, South America. He began his professional career working for Citi Bank for five years in New York City and then 15 years in Houston as a financial advisor for Lifemark Hospital Corp. John owned and operated Roto Rooter and Enviromark in Davenport from 1988 to 2019.

John was an avid runner; he participated in over 40 marathons with his best time of 2:35 hours. He was an active sponsor of the Bix 7 race and served on the committee for over 30 years. He played Rugby at New York’s Old Blue Club and was a black diamond snow skier. John served on the board for the YMCA for 10 years and on the Rivermont Collegiate School board. Adventure travel were highlights in John’s life. He trekked to Everest Base Camp in Nepal (16,000 ft), summitted Kilimanjaro, Africa (19,000 ft), and Iceland and Machu Picchu and kayaked Belize islands. John was a “Gym Rat” at Gold’s Gym, Live Active 563 and did CrossFit up until the age of 79. He was the type of dad that came early to school events to help build “refrigerator box tunnels” and then stayed after to help sweep-up. He was an honest, polite, kind and considerate man.
John is survived by his loving wife Davia Gallup; his daughter, Keenan “Addie” Hobbs and his granddaughter, Jovie Brower.

He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Kevin Loyet.
There are currently no tributes.

Donna Menken (Butler)

Deceased Date: 2022-11-19
Obituary:
Donna Jean (Butler) Menken went peacefully to Heaven on Saturday, November 19, 2022.

She was the eldest daughter of Don and Doris (Devol) Butler. Donna called Des Moines, Iowa her hometown. She graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1959 and attended Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) where she met, and then married, Don Menken in 1961. They moved, with their young children, Deanne and Dennis, to "beautiful northeast Iowa" and Donna resided in Elkader for 33 years.

After several short-term jobs, Donna worked her way through the ranks at the local newspaper, The Clayton County Register, and eventually became the Editor and Advertising Manager. She wrote a weekly column and was a proficient writer and photographer for the paper.

She was also the Executive Secretary of Elkader's Chamber of Commerce for 20 years. She combined her position with both the newspaper and the Chamber to go "on assignment" with the town's delegation to Algeria to formally begin the Sister City relationship with Elkader's namesake, Emir Abd el Kader's birth city of Mascara, Algeria. She called the trip a highlight of her career.

Donna also ventured into business ownership with a print shop before returning to Des Moines in 1997. She worked for Allied Group Mortgage and retired from Nationwide Mortgage.

Donna is survived by her daughter, Deanne (Gene) Sharp and her son, Dennis (Melanie) Menken; her grandsons, John (Desiree) and Jacob; her sister, Cheryl (Martin) Neal; nieces and a nephew and their children; and her long-time companion, Lianna Fielder.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, where the family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Private inurnment will be at Graceland Cemetery in Creston, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, Lutheran Church of Hope or Iowa Public Television. Online condolences will be welcomed at IlesCares.com. To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Donna Jean (Butler) Menken, please visit our Tribute Store.
There are currently no tributes.
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