March 29, 2024

Kathleen H. Skokan

Kathleen H. Skokan, 90, of Newton died on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013, at Mercy-West Lake in West Des Moines.

A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 21, at the First Presbyterian Church in Newton. The family will greet friends from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home.  Memorials to the First Presbyterian Church may be left at the funeral home or the church the day of the service.

Kathleen, the second of three daughters to Herman and Louise (Casal) Beuck, was born on Nov. 17, 1922, in Belden, Neb.  She graduated from Belden High School in 1940. Kathleen earned her General Elementary Teaching Certificate from Wayne State College and taught in Nebraska schools for five years.  She was married to Delmer Skokan.  Kathleen substitute taught in Newton Schools for several years before working at the Advertising Department at the Maytag Company. She worked there from 1969 to 1984 before retiring. Kathleen then worked 20 years at Skokan Construction as a part-time bookkeeper. She enjoyed cooking, baking, and trying new recipes. Kathleen collected cookbooks and was known to have special tea parties for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a faithful member of the First Presbyterian Church in Newton attending Women’s Circle for many years.  She loved to travel and spend as much time with her family as possible.  Kathleen was the “rock” of the family and will be greatly missed.

Those left to honor Kathleen’s memory are her children, Dan (Patty) Skokan of Newton, Carol (Tom) Farver of Newton, Mary Sumpter of Omaha, Neb., and Jim (Monica) Skokan of Newton; grandchildren, Michael (Deanna) Skokan, Bryan (Darcey) Skokan, Melissa (Aaron) Senneff, Jason (Whitney) Farver, Joshua (Jenny) Farver, Chad Sumpter, Laura (Clayton) Berry, Luke Sumpter, Buddy Sumpter, Krista Blankenship, and Rob Skokan; her 26 great-grandchildren; and sister, Irene Keifer of Laurel, Neb. She was preceded in death by her parents; grandson, Timothy Justin Farver; and sister and brother-in-law, Evelyn (Henry) Scollin.