March 29, 2024

Margaret Simbro

Margaret “Jane” Simbro, 69, of Grinnell, died Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. A memorial service is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14 at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell with the Rev. John Epperson officiating. A private burial will be held at a later date. Visitation with the family present will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday evening at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be directed to the American Cancer Society.

Jane was born Aug. 29, 1945, in Oskaloosa, the daughter of Harley and Margaret Septer Walker. She was raised in Bussey, Pershing and Searsboro, and attended school in Attica, Searsboro and Lynnville-Sully. She later moved to Newton with her family and was a 1963 graduate of Newton High School. On Sept. 27, 1963, she was united in marriage with Jim Simbro in Kellogg, a union of 51 years. With this union they had two daughters, Janette and Lynnette. The couple lived in the Grinnell area most of their married life. For many years she was employed at DeLongs Sportswear in Grinnell. Following her retirement, she rode for five years with her husband in his over the road truck. Jane was a very caring person and held a great love for her family. She took great pride in her home and all the daily activities in raising her family. She enjoyed fishing, most recently at Lake Rathbun, cooking, solving cross-word puzzles and spending some free time at Meskwaki. She loved the Christmas holiday season, decorating her home and shopping for Christmas gifts.

Survivors include her husband, Jim of Grinnell; two daughters, Janette (Garry) Boender of Ottumwa and Lynnette Simbro of Newton; two grandchildren, Dustin James (Ashley) Hicks and Heidi Jane Williams of Ottumwa; two great-grandchildren, Gavin Andrew Hicks and Joslynn Kay Hicks of Ottumwa; her brother, Gary Jess Walker of Des Moines; very special friends, Ron and Colleen Taylor of Montezuma, Jon and Ginger Vandervort of Ankeny, Bruce and Ruby Snyder of Oskaloosa, Neil and Dani Graves of Knoxville, and Jim and Hettie Maschmann of Montezuma; many nieces, nephews and cousins; and many other friends and neighbors. She was preceded in death by her parents; her adoptive parents, Marvin and Minnie Dieleman; sister-in-law, Sue Walker; and her twin sister, Betty “Jean” Johnston.