Daniel Clair Trunnel

Daniel “Dan” Clair Trunnel, age 88, of Newton, Iowa, passed away on December 22, 2025, at his home in Newton. A funeral will be held at the Prairie City United Methodist Church on Friday, December 26, 2025, at 10:00 AM. Visitation will be held before the funeral from 9:00 – 10:00 AM. Following the funeral, lunch will be held at the church, and everyone is welcome to attend. A burial will be held at a later date at Franklin Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made out to the Prairie City United Methodist Church. If you cannot attend and wish to send a card, please address it to, “Attn: Dan Trunnel, Coburn Funeral Home, 24 W Howard St, Colfax, IA 50054.”

The son of Leonard Walker Trunnell and Doris Evelyn Trunnell (Pieper), Dan was born on September 18, 1937, in Prairie City, Iowa. Dan graduated from Prairie City High School at age 17. Upon graduation he started driving a truck for his dad. After six months of trucking, he decided to enlist in the US Army. Dan served for three years as a Personnel Specialist during which time he was trained as a Combat Engineer and became a sharpshooter. When he returned home, he continued to serve in the Reserves for 3 more years while working at the Vernon Company and then Maytag. In 1965 he purchased one farm, then another with a farmhouse and officially moved to the “country” the next year. Dan enjoyed farming and took a lot of pride in growing crops. Throughout the years he would stay busy with different jobs - primarily trucking and spreading ag lime, but also raising some livestock, custom combining, driving a rural mail route, and working on rental properties.

In his free time, Dan continued trucking and hauling campers for fun. He enjoyed listening to old country music, camping, hot air balloon festivals, the beach, crepes, and even roller blading! He loved his community, God, spending time with his family and visiting with his friends. He always had great stories to tell and laughs to share. People loved him for his positive attitude and joy for living life to the fullest. He took up Ragbrai at age 65 and rode for 10 years, 5 of those years doing the whole route. Dan also loved riding motorcycles and cruising in his (red) Corvette.

Those left to honor his memory include his partner of thirteen years, Norma Cramer; his children, Darryl (Jamie) Trunnel and Amy (Mike) Perry; grandchildren, Sarah Trunnel, Ben (Katie) Trunnel, Christina (Aaron) Dowdell, and Ashley (Brice) Hill; siblings, Retha Beener, Tom Trunnel, John (Sherry) Trunnel, and Bill Trunnel; as well as six great grandchildren.

Preceding Dan in death were his parents, Leonard and Doris Trunnel (Pieper); and a sister, Doris Ann Shipp.