Obituaries

Gale Whiton, 87, Perry, IA

Gale Whiton, age 87, passed away peacefully Wednesday, July 17, 2019, at the Rowley Masonic Community in Perry. He was surrounded by his loving family.

Funeral services are Saturday, July 20, at 11 a.m. at the Murdock Funeral Home in Perry, with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial with military rites will be in the Violet Hill Cemetery following the service. Pallbearers are all of Gale and Bev’s grandchildren and families. Honorary pallbearers are Mike Flynn, Rick Noring, Greg Weis, Howard Natzel, and Scott Whiton.

Gale Dean Whiton was born Dec. 20, 1931, the son of Russell Rufus Whiton and Winifred “Winnie” V. (Sayles) Whiton. He attended country school and graduated from Perry High School in 1950. He farmed and took pride in raising beef cattle for most of his life. He began farming with his father and his brother Lloyd, and he continued a successful farming operation on his own in later years. He was a member of the Elks Lodge, the Greene County Cattlemen’s Association and Moose Lodge.

He married Beverly Ann Hendershott on Feb. 4, 1957, at Blair, Neb. Two daughters were born to this union, Rosanna L. (Roz) Whiton Weis and Lori Whiton-Damron. They later divorced.

He married Beverly Elaine Walker on June 29, 1966, at Omaha, Neb. She had two children of her own – Michael Flynn and Sharon Flynn Noring, and Gale took an active role in their upbringing.

Gale and Bev became residents at the Rowley Masonic Community in 2018. They celebrated 53 years of marriage this past June.

Gale enjoyed mowing, shelling walnuts (tons of walnuts), feeding the birds and squirrels in his backyard, old Western movies, and visits from family and friends. He loved a big bowl of his homemade ice cream and his homemade fudge. He spent many hours in conversation with coffee buddies in Perry.

Gale was preceded in death by his parents; his son-in-law, Jim Damron on Nov. 5, 2016; his brother and sisters: Thurlow Whiton in 1978; Roland Russell Whiton in 1987, Sylvia Adeline Whiton Riley in 1987; Lloyd Arthur Whiton in 1997; Virginia Mae Whiton Rinker in 2003; and Donald W. Whiton in 2014; by his sister-in-law, Eleanor Whiton; two brothers-in-law: Lyle Riley and Harold Rinker; and by his in-laws, Florence and Dewey Walker. He also was preceded in death by a host of good friends.

Surviving are his wife Beverly of Perry; two daughters, Roz (Greg) Weis of Decorah, and Lori Whiton-Damron (Howard Natzel) of Panora; his step-children, Mike (Nancy) Flynn of Glendale, Ariz., and Sharon (Rick) Noring of Grimes; his grandchildren: Andy and Jessica Weis, Paul and Lindsey Weis, and Nick and Carol Hopp; his step-grandchildren: Valerie and Bill Ruiz, Veronica and Fran Forsythe, Tracy and Torrey Noring, and Ashley Noring (Andy Weber); his two great-grandsons; 12 step-great-grandchildren; and four step-great-great-grandchildren; his brothers-in-law, Richard and Bob Walker; and by his sisters-in-law:, Jo Whiton, Shirley McDougal and her husband Dale, and Eldora Whiton. Also surviving is a special niece, Connie Whiton Newville.

Memorials in Gale’s name will be directed to Kindred Hospice and may be left or mailed to Murdock Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left at murdockfuneralhome.net.