The Life of JOHN HAROLD WADDELL
John Harold Waddell, 83, of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, passed away after a courageous and dignified experience with Alzheimer''s on Sunday, January 24, 2010 at Bright Kavanagh Hospice, in Des Moines.
John was born on September 27, 1926 in Clive to Frank and Eillien (Swanson) Waddell. He was a 1945 graduate of Valley High School and remained a loyal Tiger all his life. He proudly served his country in the Army/Air Corps-- Philippine Islands during WWII. After returning stateside he began his 47 year career at Bankers Trust where he met and married the love of his life, Ruth Shoemaker, in 1953. They settled in Highland Park in Des Moines.
John enjoyed the simple things in life, picnics at The Ledges, camping at Lake Wapello, going to the Valle Drive-Inn at Newton with his kids and grandkids. John always had a smile on his face, a song in his heart and a kind word for everyone. He enjoyed his family most of all and was especially proud to be the grandson of Scennia (Love) Swanson of Swanson House, 8641 Swanson Blvd, Clive, Iowa.
John is survived by his daughters, Paula (Sam) Mitchell of Ogden, Mary (Rick) Deever of Des Moines, Loretta Waddell of Des Moines, Teresa (John) Wyatt of Des Moines, Kathleen Waddell of Altoona, nine grandkids, soon to be fifteen great grandkids, sisters Carol Jean (Robert) Glass of West Des Moines, Naomi (Garth) Doake of Eureka, California, in-laws Carol (Ross) Fee of Knoxville, Ruth Shoemaker of Waterloo, numerous nieces, nephews, good friends, Surasee Rodari of Des Moines, Kenny Valdez of West Des Moines, Scott Woosley of Joplin, MO; Bruce Logan of Logan Automotive; and numerous others as John never knew a stranger.
The family would especially like to thank our extended families at The Shores in Pleasant Hill, the nursing staff at Mercy Hospital 7N and Bright Kavanagh Hospice House. The Shores-we love you all! You made Dad''s last year one of the happiest and we couldn''t have asked for better care. You treated Dad like your own and you''ll never know how much that meant to him. To the nursing staff at Mercy Hospital 7N, you treated Dad and our family with respect, dignity and humanity even when our grief, our emotions and our anger got the best of us, you understood and gave Dad excellent care. To Bright Kavanagh Hospice House, from the moment Dad entered hospice, we felt peace. Thank you for your compassion.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, January 30, 2010 at Hamilton''s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Ave., Des Moines, burial will follow at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery. A visitation with the family present will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer''s Association of Iowa, Bright Kavanagh Hospice House or to Union Park Grace Fellowship Church''s Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Fund.
John was born on September 27, 1926 in Clive to Frank and Eillien (Swanson) Waddell. He was a 1945 graduate of Valley High School and remained a loyal Tiger all his life. He proudly served his country in the Army/Air Corps-- Philippine Islands during WWII. After returning stateside he began his 47 year career at Bankers Trust where he met and married the love of his life, Ruth Shoemaker, in 1953. They settled in Highland Park in Des Moines.
John enjoyed the simple things in life, picnics at The Ledges, camping at Lake Wapello, going to the Valle Drive-Inn at Newton with his kids and grandkids. John always had a smile on his face, a song in his heart and a kind word for everyone. He enjoyed his family most of all and was especially proud to be the grandson of Scennia (Love) Swanson of Swanson House, 8641 Swanson Blvd, Clive, Iowa.
John is survived by his daughters, Paula (Sam) Mitchell of Ogden, Mary (Rick) Deever of Des Moines, Loretta Waddell of Des Moines, Teresa (John) Wyatt of Des Moines, Kathleen Waddell of Altoona, nine grandkids, soon to be fifteen great grandkids, sisters Carol Jean (Robert) Glass of West Des Moines, Naomi (Garth) Doake of Eureka, California, in-laws Carol (Ross) Fee of Knoxville, Ruth Shoemaker of Waterloo, numerous nieces, nephews, good friends, Surasee Rodari of Des Moines, Kenny Valdez of West Des Moines, Scott Woosley of Joplin, MO; Bruce Logan of Logan Automotive; and numerous others as John never knew a stranger.
The family would especially like to thank our extended families at The Shores in Pleasant Hill, the nursing staff at Mercy Hospital 7N and Bright Kavanagh Hospice House. The Shores-we love you all! You made Dad''s last year one of the happiest and we couldn''t have asked for better care. You treated Dad like your own and you''ll never know how much that meant to him. To the nursing staff at Mercy Hospital 7N, you treated Dad and our family with respect, dignity and humanity even when our grief, our emotions and our anger got the best of us, you understood and gave Dad excellent care. To Bright Kavanagh Hospice House, from the moment Dad entered hospice, we felt peace. Thank you for your compassion.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, January 30, 2010 at Hamilton''s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Ave., Des Moines, burial will follow at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery. A visitation with the family present will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer''s Association of Iowa, Bright Kavanagh Hospice House or to Union Park Grace Fellowship Church''s Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Fund.
