OBITUARIES

Bradley Joseph Hickok

April 30, 1963—November 5, 2025 Bradley Joseph Hickok, known as Brad or B2 by friends and family, passed unexpectedly on the morning of November 5, 2025. Brad was born April 30, 1963 in Charles City, Iowa to Sally Jo (Sperry) and William R Hickok. He enjoyed automotive work, working at Amoco service stations when young. He moved on to open his own business, Metro Towing, growing the service for more than a decade before deciding to retrain in IT. Brad earned an Associate’s

Nov 8

Ellen Mae Barr

Johnston, Iowa Ellen Mae Barr, 84, passed away peacefully on October 29, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on June 2, 1941, in Perry, Iowa, to Frank and Margie Lamp. Some of her happiest moments were spent outdoors with her family on countless camping trips that turned into treasured memories and lifelong stories. A master quilter and talented seamstress, Ellen poured her heart into every project she created. Her beautifully designed quilts and the one

Oct 31

Joan Theresa (Gray) Hallman

Joan Theresa (Gray) Hallman passed away peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, October 25, 2025, at Walnut Ridge Senior Living Community in Clive. She was 90 years old. Joan was born November 29, 1934, in Britt, IA with her twin brother, Jerry. Losing her mother at a young age, she was raised by her dad along with her 10 siblings in Corwith, IA. She was blessed to be a part of this big, loving family and had countless wonderful memories of time spent at the farm learning lif

Oct 29

William Lee Sherman

William Lee Sherman, 84, was born February 6, 1941, in Buckeye, Iowa, the first son of William Marion and Sybil Sheets Sherman. He died October 27, 2025 of Alzheimer’s-related complications at Luther Park in Des Moines. The family moved to Chapin, Hampton, Newburg, and Grinnell as his parents taught and administered in these schools. He graduated from Grinnell High School in 1959, and earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Iowa. During high schoo

Oct 29

Harvey Dale Boeckholt

A Funeral service for Harvey will be celebrated at 11am on Monday, November 3, 2025, at St. Mary of Nazareth Catholic Church, 4600 Meredith Drive, Des Moines, Iowa with a luncheon following at the parish hall. Visitation will begin at 10am prior to the service. A private family Military graveside service will be held at 1:30pm at Merle Hay Chapel Hills Cemetery, 4400 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Mary of Nazareth Catho

Oct 29

Marguerite Harris

Marguerite Harris passed away peacefully at home on October 24, 2025. She was 97 years old. Born an only child on August 8, 1928, to Mrs. Lorena Haggerty in Utica, New York, Marguerite grew up in Iowa. While attending North High School, she met and fell in love with Robert Harris. They married in November of 1946, shortly after he joined the United States Marine Corps. Together, they raised four children while navigating the joys and challenges of military life before final

Oct 27

María Martínez García

Con profundo pesar, la familia Avendaño–Martínez comunica el fallecimiento de María Martínez García, quien nació el 1 de junio de 1962 en San Agustín Amatengo, Oaxaca, México, y partió a la casa del Padre el 13 de octubre de 2025. María fue una mujer de fe inquebrantable, esposa amorosa y madre ejemplar. Estuvo casada por 40 años con su amado esposo Neftalí Avendaño, con quien formó una hermosa familia de cinco hijos. Durante su vida en México, María disfrutaba ayudar a su es

Oct 15

Donald “Don” Russell Graves, Sr.

Donald “Don” Russell Graves, Sr. was born on March 10, 1935, at Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, and transitioned peacefully on August 26, 2025, at Methodist Hospital. Don met the love of his life, Mary Jane (Collier) Graves, at a young age. He was from what is affectionately known as Des Moines’ west side, and she hailed from the east side. Although they attended rival high schools — Don at Tech High and Mary Jane at East High — their love transcended boundaries and e

Oct 14

Connie Henry

A visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., followed by a funeral service at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at Merle Hay Funeral Home, 4400 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines, Iowa, with burial to follow at Chapel Hill Cemetery. Connie Henry, 62, of Des Moines, Iowa, passed away on October 8, 2025, in Des Moines. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and friend whose loving heart and strong faith touched everyone she met. Connie was born on March 15, 1963, in D

Oct 14