Donald Bernell Bower

Donald Bernell Bower, 99, of Newton, died Tuesday, March 10, 2015, at Skiff Medical Center in Newton. A funeral service will be at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 14 at the Wallace Family Funeral Home in Newton. The family will greet friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, March 14 at the funeral home. Memorials to the Quakerdale home for troubled youth in New Providence may be left at the Wallace Family Funeral Home. If mailing, please add “Attn: Bower Family” to the envelope.

Bernell, the son of Leonard and Ida (Yeater) Bower, was born Dec. 21, 1915, in Illinois. He grew up in Muscatine and graduated from Muscatine High School in 1935. Bernell was united in marriage with Minnie Ellen Campbell Oct. 14, 1937, in Muscatine, where the couple made their home. He served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II.

Bernell was a bookkeeper for many years. After moving to Newton in 1955, he worked for Hawkeye Chevrolet and later, Gifford Brown in Des Moines. In his retired years, he also did bookkeeping for McCann Village. Bernell enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping.

Those left to honor Bernell’s memory include his two sons, Gerald Bower of Grundy Center and Ronald (Ardith) Bower of Lampe, Mo.; his daughter, Darlene Russell of Baxter; nine grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; 20 great-great-grandchildren; his sister-in-law, Marian Bower of Muscatine; and his nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Minnie Ellen Bower; daughter-in-law, Janice Bower; two grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and his brother, Clifford Bower.