Delores Faye Gunnarson, 89, of Ankeny, Iowa, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on November 27, 2021 at Brio of Johnston in Johnston, Iowa.
Visitation will be held for family and friends on Friday, December 3, 2021 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. at Ankeny Funeral Home in Ankeny, Iowa, with the Funeral Service following at 1:30 p.m. Pastor Dan Petrak will officiate.
Burial will be held in Peterson, Iowa at Oakland Cemetery on Saturday, December 4, at 11:30 a.m.
Delores was born to George and Ora (Young) Pettengill on December 23, 1931 in Cherokee, Iowa. She was baptized and attended a country school near the family farm and attended high school in Cherokee. She married Robert K. Gunnarson on January 22, 1950. They were blessed with three children, Richard, Robert and Marcia, and were married until Robert’s death on May 5, 1976. In 1966 the family moved to Des Moines, Iowa and in 1967 built a new home in Ankeny, Iowa. Delores worked for the Ankeny school lunch program and as a lab technician for Iowa State University at the Ankeny Research Farm. She retired in 1993. She attended Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Ankeny and enjoyed lunches with friends at the Ankeny Senior Center. She enjoyed garage sales, bird watching and loved her little dogs who kept her company while warming her heart and her lap. Delores especially loved hosting family gatherings and enjoyed keeping up with the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In 2019, Delores suffered a stroke and moved from her home to skilled care at Brio of Johnston in Johnston, Iowa. She was a sister, Mom, Grandma, ‘Grandma Great’ and a friend to so many and will be dearly missed.
Delores is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert; sisters Virginia Beacham, Shirley Pettengill (age 2), Donna Schmidt, Lavonne (Bonnie) Harwood and Sheryl Messerole.
Delores is survived by her brother, Donald Pettengill of Cresco, Iowa; her children, Richard (Janice) Gunnarson of Indianola, Iowa, Robert (Barbara) Gunnarson of Grimes, Iowa, Marcia Gering of Ankeny, Iowa; grandchildren, Kelley (Jason) Schmitz, Kimberly (Tim) Schou, Kristi (Joe) Kerner, and Ryan Gering; great-grandchildren, Hadley and Grant Schmitz, Nora Schou and Jordan Kerner, and many nieces and nephews.
Delores had a love of animals, especially dogs, so the family asks that memorials be directed to Des Moines Animal Rescue League (ARL)
DONACIONES
Animal Rescue League of Iowa5452 NE 22nd Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50313
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.9.5