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.
Dennis Showalter
DENNIS E. SHOWALTER
Iowa City
Dennis E. Showalter, 83, of Iowa City, passed away peacefully Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015. Memorial services will be 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Rose Hill Friends Church in Rose Hill, Kan. Burial with military honors will follow at Dunlap Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Heifer International; the Alzheimer's Association, c/o Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, 605 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City, IA 52240; or Timmons Funeral Home, 510 N. Seventh St., Fredonia, KS 66736.
Dennis was born Nov. 5, 1931, in Rose Hill, Kan., the son of Floyd and Waldena (Cox) Showalter. He grew up on the family farm in Rose Hill and graduated from Rose Hill High School. On Aug. 3, 1952, Dennis married Phyllis McElhiney in Rose Hill. Dennis proudly served in the U.S. Air Force, achieving the rank of first lieutenant while serving in Japan. He continued his military service in the reserves. Dennis graduated from Kansas State University with a B..A. degree and later earned his M.A. degree from the University of Iowa.
He served as the parks superintendant in Topeka, Kan., for 13 years, parks and recreation director in Iowa City for 10 years, and retired in 1994 as public works director in Bettendorf.
Dennis was a longtime member of the Optimist Club in both Topeka, Kan., and Iowa City. He and Phyllis also were members of St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Iowa City.
He was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and loved to travel (visiting over 80 countries). Most of all, he loved his family and Phyllis, his wife of 63 years.
Dennis was a great inspiration, teacher and friend.
Survivors include his wife, Phyllis, of West Branch; their five children, Jeanine (Doug) Wells of Topeka, Kan., Greg Showalter of Belle Plaine, Kan., Eric (Sharlene) Showalter of Topeka, Kan., Bart (Deb) Showalter of Shueyville and Anne (Don) Hartman of Cedar Rapids; two sisters, DonnaBelle (Voyle) Chance of Fowler, Kan., and Dorothy (Jack) Wilks of Rose Hill, Kan.; 12 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Dayle; a sister, Doris; a sister-in-law, Phyllis; brothers-in-law, Parkie and Dean; and a daughter-in-law, Shannon.
Online condolences may be left for the family at
www.lensingfuneral.com or www.timmonsfuneral
home.com.
Daily Newsletters