Schellhase, WIlma Irene Linch

Wilma Irene Linch Schellhase died at Wesley Acres Des Moines on Monday, Aug. 12, 2013. Funeral Services for Wilma will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel, 212 E. Sixth St., Vinton, with the Rev. Dr. Judith Bunyi officiating. Visitation will be one hour before service time Saturday at the funeral home. Interment will be in Homer-Big Grove Cemetery, near Garrison.

Wilma was born Aug. 23, 1925, in St. Louis, Mo., daughter of Jesse Clark Linch and Mary Ann Thorington Linch. The family moved to Mount Pleasant, Iowa, in the spring of 1932 where they resided with her grandfather on a fruit farm northeast of Mount Pleasant. She attended Pleasant Lawn Consolidated School and graduated in 1943, salutatorian of her class.

She was employed by Henry County, Iowa, as a deputy county auditor for several years before marrying state trooper Lowell Edwin Schellhase in 1948 in Mount Pleasant. They made their home in Fort Madison, Iowa, where Trooper Schellhase was stationed until 1952, when he was transferred to Mount Pleasant. Other moves were made to Denison, DeWitt, Cedar Falls and Des Moines, Iowa, before retiring in 1983 and moving to Vinton. She was employed by the Mount Pleasant Credit Bureau and temporary deputy county recorder during their years in Mount Pleasant, by the Central Community School District in DeWitt as secretary, at Price Laboratory School in Cedar Falls as a secretary and was secretary for the State Fire Marshal in Des Moines. After retirement, she was employed by Benton County Sheriff's Department.

Wilma was an active member of the Wesley United Methodist Church and served as a member of the Altar Guild, the Music and Worship Committee and the Memorial Committee as well as being at member of Martha Circle. She was also an active member of the Virginia Gay Hospital Volunteers, playing bingo with the residents and furnishing food for the various activities of the group. She also served as treasurer for Church Women United, chairman and treasurer for Martha Circle and treasurer for the Iowa Retired Peace Officers Association.

She took painting lessons from George Carberry until the time of his death and continued her interest in oil painting by teaching others to paint. She enjoyed playing the organ and playing cards as well as traveling.

Wilma moved to Des Moines in July 2004 and lived at Wesley Acres on Grand Avenue until the time of her death.

She is survived by her daughter, Karen Nantz (James) of Champaign, Ill.; her son, Lowell E. (Ed) Schellhase Jr. (Doreen) of Norwalk; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by special friends, Paul and Carol Schellhase of Garrison and Don and Mary Schellhase of Traer; and special friend, Kathleen Noe of Vinton.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lowell in 1988; her parents; two sisters; a brother; grandparents; and many aunts and uncles.

A memorial fund has been established.

Online condolences may be sent at: .

Published in The Gazette Aug. 14, 2013.