Eash, Donald E.

WELLMAN - Donald E. Eash died Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010, at Parkview Manor in Wellman at the age of 82 years.  Celebration of Life services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, at  West Union Mennonite Church, rural Parnell. Pastor Martha Yoder and Pastor Ray Reimer will officiate. Burial will be in the West Union Cemetery. Visitation will be  from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday at  Powell Funeral Home in Wellman, where the family will greet friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.

Don was born Aug. 22, 1928, near Wellman, Iowa, the son of Wallace and Laura (Doolin) Eash. He graduated from the Hesston Academy. At age 17 he worked as a seafaring cowboy. On Sept. 9, 1951, he was united in marriage to Fern Swartzendruber at the West Union Mennonite Church. They lived and farmed in rural Parnell for 28 years, retiring in 1980. Don was a lifetime member of the West Union Mennonite Church, where he served as trustee and Sunday school teacher. He was an Iowa County Soil Commissioner for 10 years. He was a member of Farm Bureau. He loved his grandchildren, woodworking, fishing, hunting, camping and being outdoors.

Don is survived by his wife, Fern of Wellman; three children,  Michael Eash and wife Marie of Arcadia, Calif.,  Merridy Leichty and husband Allen of Wellman and Martin Eash of North Liberty; five  grandchildren, Dominique Eash of Sierra Madre, Calif.,  Dawn Eash of Santa Monica, Calif.,  Lauren Eash of Arcadia, Calif.,  William Leichty and wife Kate of Goshen, Ind., and  Christina Leichty of Iowa City; a sister, Carley June Brubaker of Williamsburg, Va.;  and a brother, Arthur Eash of Naples, Fla.

 He was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers, Robert Eash and infant Russell Dean Eash.

 A memorial fund has been established for West Union Mennonite Church.

Messages may be sent to the family at