Parbs, Donald

Donald Parbs, 73, died Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, at St Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 2, at Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home in Vinton, with the Rev. David Gates officiating. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, at the funeral home. Burial will be held at a later date.

Donald Merl Parbs was born Jan. 28, 1940, in Iowa City, Iowa, to Leland and Ethel Carmen Parbs. He attended school in Urbana, graduating in 1957. He served his country in the United States Marines from 1957 to 1960, stationed in Hawaii.

On March 2, 1963, he married Barb Buchtela in Kirksville, Mo. Don worked as a pipe fitter until 1963, when he started farming full-time near Urbana. He was proud of his Master Craftsman woodworking skills, but his greatest pride and joy was his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Don is survived by his wife of 50 years, Barb; his children, David (Sharon) Parbs, Ron (Shelley) Parbs and Justine (Dewey) Ockenfels, all of Urbana; his brother, Everette (Linda) Parbs of Council Bluffs; sisters, Doris (Jerry) Kubik of Central City, Iva McMullin of Fort Pierce, Fla., Frances (Keith) Wingfield of Cedar Rapids and Gwen (Brian) Heck of Shellsburg; nine grandchildren, Mike (Heather) Parbs, Tiffany (Mike) Harland, Josh, Jason and Maria Parbs, Ashley (Jader) Perez, Heather (Larry Kent), Jonathon and Marcie Ockenfels; and five great-grandchildren, Olivia Marlene, Xavier Merl and Geovanni Manuel Perez, Caleb Michael Parbs and Lily Justine Ockenfels.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother and sister-in-law, Ivan and Phyllis Parbs; brother-in-law, Mac McMullin; and nieces, Robin Parbs and Deb Geater.

Memorials may be directed to St. Luke's Hospice Unit, Cedar Rapids.

Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home is caring for Don and his family.

Condolences may be left at www.vsrfh.com.

Published Aug. 31, 2013 in The Gazette