Arthur J. DeWitt

Arthur J. DeWitt, 89, of Marshalltown, passed away Tuesday, May 15, 2018, at Accura Healthcare in Marshalltown.

A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 18 at the Laurel United Methodist Church in Laurel. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 17 at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. Memorials may be directed to the Laurel United Methodist Church. For more information or to send a condolence, visit mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234. Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Arthur and his family.

Arthur J. DeWitt, Jr. was born Aug. 14, 1928, in New Providence, to Arthur J. DeWitt, Sr. and Isal Mae (Hamilton) DeWitt. The New Providence, Clemons and Union area was where he lived as a child and where most of his family of origin lived, which included also the Hamilton and Hadley family names.

On June 18, 1947, Arthur was united in marriage to Beverly A. Sietmann at the Laurel E.U.B. Church. Together, they moved onto a 140 acre farm south of Laurel in 1948. They raised chickens, hogs, sheep, milked cows and maintained a beef cow herd and fed cattle, as well as growing corn and soybeans. They enjoyed their children’s involvement with showing beef cattle and sheep through the 4-H program. They farmed during a period of tremendous change in agriculture. The equipment changed as well. Art started farming with a used Allis-Chalmer WC and finished with a late-model, front wheel assist Case IH 7220. In 1998, after 50 years of farming, they decided it was time to retire and move to Marshalltown.

Arthur is survived by his spouse of almost 71 years, Beverly; children, Dennis (Sara) DeWitt of Spencer and Diana DeWitt of Nashville, Tenn. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Lucas (Lisa) DeWitt, Joellen (Chris) Hamann, Steven (Kelly) Hough and Heather (Jimmy) Bush; great-grandchildren, Madison, Jackson and Riley DeWitt, Carter, Cayden and Cammie Hamann, Camden, Kaia and Layna Bush, and Henry, Annie and Ruby Hough; and his brother, Darrell (Nancy) DeWitt.

Arthur is preceded in death by his parents, Arthur J. DeWitt Sr. and Isal Mae (Hamilton); and siblings, James “Seymor,” Margaret, Wadena, Everett and Alta.