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Mary Ann Allspach, 65, of Newton, stepped into the presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, after a long hard fight with breast cancer. A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30 at Cornerstone Bible Fellowship in Newton. The family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29 at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Newton. Memorials for the Newton Police Department Shop with a Cop or for Mammograms to Save Lives may be left at the funeral home or the church the day of the service.
Mary, the daughter of Fred and Barbara (Sumpter) Shepard, was born Feb. 16, 1951, in Newton. She was a 1969 graduate of Newton High School and attended DMACC. Mary was united in marriage with Jerry E. Allspach Nov. 9, 1968, in Newton. They were blessed with three daughters, Tina, Sue and Shari. Mary worked for the City of Newton at the Newton Police Department for 26 years. She attended Cornerstone Bible Fellowship and Cowboy Church.
Mary enjoyed caring for and serving others. She spent much time tending a large garden, cutting firewood, and working hard. She enjoyed playing cards, country music shows, trips to Branson, going to amusement and water parks, and traveling to warm and sunny Mexico beaches. She loved children, and was often seen with one in tow. She loved sharing the love of Jesus with them. Mary was a silent prayer warrior, faithfully praying for her friends and family. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.
Those left to carry on her legacy are her three daughters, Tina (Dan) Brown of Newton, Sue Allspach of Des Moines, and Shari (Matt) Froah of Bloomfield; grandchildren, McKinley, Brendan, and Kieran Brown, Lydia Elwell, and Jaryn, Japheth, Jocelynn and Jesseca Froah; her siblings, Jack Bruce of San Francisco, Calif., and Rob (Barb) Shepard of Newton; and her many nieces and nephews. Mary was preceded in death by her grandparents; parents; biological father, John Frances Bruce; husband, Jerry on Jan. 23, 2014; and a brother, Danny Bruce.