116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Shires, Dale
Dale Shires of Iowa City, Iowa, passed away quietly at home Sunday morning, March 18, 2012.
Dale was born on a farm in Montgomery County, Iowa, in 1932, to Lester and Alice Shires. He grew up there, attending Elliott, Iowa, schools and was active on the football and basketball teams, National FFA Organization, 4H and the United Methodist Church in Elliott, graduating from Elliott Consolidated Schools in 1950. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University in agricultural studies in 1954 and went on to study at Garrett Theological Seminary, Evanston, Ill.
In August 1956, he married the former Helen Zern Emmert, also a student at Garrett. The two of them soon after traveled to Portugal to do language study for mission work in Africa. In 1958, the family took up residence in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, where Dale worked as an educator and agricultural missionary. The family returned to Iowa and Dale began a 33 year career in the Agricultural Extension Service. He worked in West Pottawattamie and Bremer Counties before coming to Johnson County in 1972 as the extension director. He served Johnson County for 23 years and was proud to have had a hand in expanding the work to include Big Brothers Big Sisters. During his 40 years in Iowa City, Dale's activities included volunteering for the Soil and Water Conservation District and was a proud member of St. Mark's United Methodist Church.
Dale was preceded in death by his wife, Helen; and his brother Paul.
He is survived by his brother, Lisle and sister-in-law Julia; Paul's widow, Pat Shires; and their families; his three children, Barbara Blaisdell of Colorado, Stephen Shires of Boston, and James Shires of Chicago; as well as nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren as well as his church family.
A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, March 24, at St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Pastor Arnette Pint presiding.
Memorials can be sent to St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 2675 E. Washington St., Iowa City, IA 52245; or African University, Africa University Farm Development Advance #3021027, in care of St. Mark's UMC.
Online condolences may be sent for his family through the web at . Gay and Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Dale's family and his services.
Published in The Gazette March 21, 2012.
Daily Newsletters