Mervin Wallace

Mervin Laverne Wallace, son of Verne Wilson Wallace and Eva Irene Kriens Wallace, was born Jan. 13, 1938, in Bridgewater, Iowa, and died March 17 at the Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson at the age of 81 years, 2 months and 4 days.

A Celebration of Life was held on March 22 at the Hastings Funeral Home, Jefferson, with Mr. Robert Rogers, pastor of the Church of Christ, Bayard.  

Music at the service was “Could I Have This Dance” by Anne Murray; “I’ll Go to My Grave Loving You” by the Statler Brothers; and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” by Johnny Cash.

Mervin was buried in Brethren Cemetery, Panora. Everyone was invited to a time of lunch and fellowship at the Raccoon Valley Golf Course following the services at the cemetery.

Mervin grew up in Yale and graduated from Yale High School in 1956. He enjoyed playing softball and loved to fish. 

Mervin was united in marriage to Delores Marie Cabelka on April 6, 1958, at the Brethren Church in Panora. The couple was blessed with a daughter, Lisa, and a son, Michael.

The family lived in Des Moines and Urbandale for a short time before moving to Jefferson in 1966 and making it their permanent home. Mervin worked as a parts manager for Sid Beattie in Des Moines. When they moved to Jefferson he worked for Harrison Ford, then owned Wallace Standard Station from 1969 to 1971. He was also a carpenter for various companies throughout his life. Before retiring, Mervin delivered parts for NAPA part-time.

He was an outdoorsman. He loved going to watch the grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s ballgames. Mervin liked to play golf, watch John Wayne westerns, read and do puzzles. He was an avid Iowa Hawkeyes football fan and especially enjoyed Iowa basketball; he also liked the Chicago Cubs. 

Mervin’s greatest joy was being with his family and playing with the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a member of the Elks Lodge and Jaycees in Jefferson.

Mervin was preceded in death by his parents, Verne and Eva Wallace; great-grandson Chad Ryan Wright; parents-in-law Raymond and Josephine Cabelka; and brother-in-law Ronnie Cabelka.

Mervin is survived by his wife, Delores, of Jefferson; daughter Lisa Wright (Leonard) of Perry; son Michael Wallace (Julie) of Jefferson; three grandchildren: Erika Seals (Bill) of Altoona; Clinton Wallace (Mallory) of West Des  Moines, and Emily Taggart (Montana) of Jefferson; five great-grandchildren: Connor Seals, Eva Seals, Cody Taggart, Callen Taggart and Jack Wallace; sister Norma Louk (Gary) of Yale; other relatives and many friends.

Memorials may be sent to Hastings Funeral Home, Box 204, Perry, Iowa.