OBITUARIES

Patricia Ann Ferguson, 81, passed away on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at home in Ankeny, Iowa. Pat was born on October 25, 1944, to Frank and Marguerite (Kornmeier) Allen in El Paso, Texas.   A Memorial service will be at St. Francis of Assisi, West Des Moines, on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 10 AM, immediately followed by a time for fellowship at the church.  Interment will take place at a later date at Chapel Hill Gardens in Des Moines. Pat grew up in a military family, living

Cynthia Jean Reynolds, age 74, was born on February 2, 1952, in Alexander, Iowa, to Jacob and Amelia Stoffer. She passed away peacefully at home on March 28, 2026. Cynthia enjoyed spending time with her family. She loved being part of their lives, especially cheering them on in their sports and dance activities. She also enjoyed cooking, gardening, and caring for her beloved pets. Cytnhia loved cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes. She is survived by her children, Aaron Reynolds and

Janice Beth Swanson, born on March 7, 1940, passed away on March 25, 2026, from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease. Janice spent her working life as a loyal legal secretary, working for many years with Attorney Paul Ahlers at the Ahlers Law Firm. In her personal life, Janice always wanted to help others and was unfailingly kind. She enjoyed playing clarinet in the Urbandale Community Band and loved her cats, Smokey and Bandit. Janice had been a resident of Scottish Rite Par

Wanda Maxine Collins, 74, of Des Moines, Iowa, passed away on March 18, 2026, in Des Moines due to multiple health issues. A celebration of Wanda’s life will be held on Sunday, March 22, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Merle Hay Funeral Home Chapel, 4400 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines, Iowa. She was born on March 29, 1951, in Des Moines to Roy and Lucille Collins. Wanda was raised and educated in Des Moines, where she spent her life surrounded by family, friends, and the com

Robert Loren Beeler Sr. (Bob), age 83, born January 10, 1943, passed away unexpectedly after suffering a heart attack. He leaves behind a family and community who will miss him dearly. Bob was a man who could fix just about anything. A proud union electrician who later served as a foreman for the Des Moines Public Schools, he was known as a true handyman—crafty in every trade and always willing to lend a hand. If something was broken, he took pride in figuring out how to make

A funeral service for Douglas will be held on Friday, March 6 at 12:00 at Merle Hay Funeral Home (4400 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines, IA 50310). Following the service, there will be a committal service with military honors out in the cemetery. Douglas Leon Sheldahl was born on 12 Sep 1944 in Des Moines, IA to RB Lorn and Twyla Sheldahl. He is defined as a Christian, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Civil Engineer and Navy Seabee Combat Veteran.   Doug was raised in Grimes and star

Service Information Location: Merle Hay Chapel 4400 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines, IA 50310 Date: Wednesday, March 4th, 2026  Time: 2pm Final Resting Place: Glendale Cemetery 4909 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311 Friends and Family Gathering (after funeral): Tai Village 4200 Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy, Des Moines, IA 50310 The family of Noi Lovan acknowledges with sincere appreciation the comforting messages, personal tributes, and other expressions of kindness during this d

El Pastor Manuel Deciderio Yanqui  nació el 4 de noviembre de 1968 en Ecuador y partió al descanso eterno el 28 de febrero de 2026. “ He peleado la buena batalla, he acabado la carrera, he guardado la fe. ”— 2 Timoteo 4:7 El Pastor Manuel Yanqui fue un siervo fiel de Dios que amaba profundamente las almas. Se distinguió por su pasión, entrega total y obediencia al llamado divino. Sin importar las circunstancias a su alrededor, permanecía firme en su misión. No había distancia

Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 1, 2026, from noon until 6:00 pm at the Merle Hay Funeral Home Chapel. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, March 2, 2026, at 10:00 am at the Saint Ambrose Cathedral, 607 High Street, Des Moines. Burial will be in the Chapel Hill Gardens Cemetery.

Emorgelia Suazo nació en Esquías Comayagua Honduras el 10 de agosto de 1940 y paso al descanso eterno el 21 de febrero del 2026 en Des Moines, Iowa. Con profundo amor recordamos la vida de nuestra querida Emorgelia, una mujer ejemplar que dejó una huella imborrable en todos los que tuvimos la dicha de conocerla. Fue una hija amorosa, una madre dedicada y una abuela extraordinaria, siempre presente con palabras de aliento, consejos sabios y un corazón lleno de ternura. Su vida

Visitation will be held from 10am to 11am on Saturday February 28, 2026, at Merle Hay Funeral Home Chapel, 4400 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines, followed by a brief remembrance service at 11am, with burial immediately following. Dick Nelson, born November 15, 1935 to Arvene and Bessie Nelson in Des Moines, passed away on February 21, 2026 in Des Moines.  He spent his early years learning the values of integrity, hard work and independence. He graduated from Tech High School, then

Our beloved Sharon D. Jellue left this world on January 5, 2026, at the age of 30, due to domestic violence. Sharon was born on July 9, 1995, to parents Morris and Comfort Jellue in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where she lived until the age of eight. On December 6, 2003, she relocated with her family to Des Moines, Iowa.   Sharon received her education in the Des Moines Public School District, attending Greenwood Elementary School and Callanan Middle School, and graduating from Ro

Francis Tailey Dweh was born to the union of Elizabeth Dweh and Sammy Dweh in Beezon Town, Grand Gedeh County, Kanneh Clan, Liberia, West Africa. He was raised in a close-knit family alongside seven brothers and seven sisters. Among the family members who cherish his memory are Mr. Watkins Dweh and Alex Dweh, along with many other beloved relatives.   In 1981, Mr. Dweh left Zwedru for Monrovia, where he later joined the Liberian military. It was in Monrovia that he met the lo

Steven Dean Moberg was born July 5th, 1957, in Des Moines, Iowa to Dean and Marilyn (Robinson) Moberg. He was the first of three adopted children by Dean (music teacher) and Marilyn (student/Insurance) with sister, Julie (Cartwright), and son, Matthew to follow in the next several years. They moved throughout Iowa, beginning in Scranton, Fort Dodge, Ames, Leon, then in 1971 moved to Des Moines. Summers included family camping trips with uncles, aunts, and cousins at various I

Carol Marie Hermann, daughter of Ruth and Bud Carnahan, returned to the stardust on Thursday, January 22, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. Carol was a gifted woman—intelligent, witty, and fiercely loving. Carol enjoyed rock collecting, gardening, fishing, raising wolves, and her little dog, Daisy Mae. Carol was preceded in death by her son, Jason; her parents; and three brothers. She leaves behind her loving husband, Russ; her daughter, Medea (Scott), grandchildren Aenea and B

With tender hearts, we announce the passing of Katherine (Katie) Margaret Jones, age 19, who died on January 23, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa, due to complications from long-standing medical conditions. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, January 31, 2026, at Merle Hay Funeral Home, 4400 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines, IA, with visitation beginning at 2:00 p.m. Katie was born on January 1, 2007, in Provo, Utah, to Rusty and Kim Jones. From the very beg

Barbara's funeral service will be livestreamed, the link for the livestream can be found here . Barbara Jean Maier was born on June 22 nd , 1939, in Des Moines, IA and passed away peacefully at EveryStep Kavanagh House on January 21, 2026, surrounded by her loving children. Services will be held Tuesday, February 10, 2026, beginning at 11:00 a.m. The visitation will be held 1 hour prior at 10:00 a.m., at Merle Hay Chapel Funeral Home, 4400 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines, with bur

Sandra Wilson was born in Minnesota on March 6, 1958. and passed away peacefully on December 31, 2025. Sandra devoted more than 20 years of her life to working as a preschool teacher, where she had a deep passion for helping young children learn, grow, and feel cared for. Teaching was more than a job to her—it was a calling, and she touched the lives of countless children and families throughout her career. In her free time, Sandra cherished spending time with family and frie

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Evelyn Anne Garness, age 100, of Des Moines, Iowa, who passed away on January 13, 2026, at Bishop Drumm.   Visitation will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at Merle Hay Chapel, 4400 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines, Iowa .  Funeral services will follow at   3:00 p.m.   Evelyn   was born on December 20, 1925, in Des Moines, Iowa, the daughter of Edward Petersen and Hannah Olsen Petersen. She grew up in Des

Khin Aye Than, was born on June 15, 1985, in Rathedaung, and passed away on January 10, 2026, at Everystep Kavanagh House. Khin was a loving wife, a caring mother, and a loyal friend. She brought kindness, strength, and compassion into everything she did, and her love touched everyone around her. She is survived by her spouse, Kyaw Maung, her son, Htet Lin, and her daughters, Myat Wai and Khine Thu Wai. We are grateful for the time we had with her, and though our hearts ache,