Gale Purdum, 82, of Newton died on Monday, Oct. 22, 2012, at Park Centre in Newton. The Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory is handling the cremation. Memorials to the American Cancer Society may be left at the funeral home or mailed to the family.

Gale, the son of Ned and Dorothy (Swartz) Purdum, was born on May 4, 1930, in Unionville, Iowa. He grew up in Unionville and graduated from high school there. Gale was united in marriage with Janet Bower in 1973 in Missouri. They made their home in Newton, Iowa, in 1975. Gale worked as a pipefitter for Bridgestone/Firestone for 25 years, retiring in 1995.

Those left to honor Gale’s memory are his wife, Janet Purdum of Newton; three sons, Rod (Claudia) Purdum of Unionville, Rick Purdum of Georgia and Tim Purdum of Unionville; his step-children, Kathy (Bob) Bucklin of New Sharon, Alicia (Mike) Swaim of Fremont and Robert (Sara) Orona of Oskaloosa; three grandchildren, Ryan Purdum, Courtney Acosta and Rachel Seddon; his five great-grandchildren; many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren; his two brothers, Gerald (Anne) Purdum of Kentucky and Gayland Purdum of Des Moines; four sisters, Rita Ogden of Unionville, Gereda Bowlin of Drakesville, Gwyneth Purdum of Newton and Gloria Purdum of Phoenix, Ariz.; and his many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Gordan Purdum.