Jay Dee Shouse, 85, of Gladbrook, IA passed away Tuesday, June 23, 2015, at Westbrook Acres Nursing Home assisted in care by Hospice Compassus, with his family at his side. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, June 29, 2015, at Peace United Church of Christ in Gladbrook. Rev. Robert Doner will officiate, with burial in Badger Hill Cemetery, northwest of Gladbrook, within sight of his farm home. Visitation will be from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m., Sunday, June 28, 2015, at Peace Church, Gladbrook. A memorial fund has been established. Online condolences may be sent to www.andersonfhs.com
Jay Dee Shouse, son of Alpha Ray and Anna (Hungerford) Shouse, was born June 12, 1930, in rural Linneus, MO. He attended Greenview country school for grades 1 through 7, then graduated Brookfield High School in 1947. He worked with his parents at the family sawmill and sorghum mill until entering the United States Army in 1952. He took basic training at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii and was stationed for the remainder of his two years at Fort Rich, Anchorage, Alaska. Following his honorable discharge, he farmed in Missouri, then in Iowa, where he met Sharon. On June 9, 1956, he was united in marriage to Sharon Ohrt at the Evangelical and Reformed Church in Gladbrook. After briefly working at Caterpillar in Joliet, IL, they returned to the Gladbrook area. They moved to their farm northwest of Gladbrook in 1962, where they farmed until retirement. He also sold Farmers Hybrid seed corn and boars. His hobby was designing and repairing things, and in the eyes of his children and grandchildren, there was nothing he couldn’t fix. He was a member of Tama County Farm Bureau, serving terms as vice president and president. He served on the Tama County Extension council, and was a 4-H project leader. He was a member of Peace United Church of Christ where he served on the church board.
Surviving Jay Dee are his wife of 59 years, Sharon; children: Susan (Randy) Beichley, Gladbrook; Shawn Shouse, Atlantic, IA; John (Jenny Olson) Shouse, Lincoln, IA; ten grandchildren: Michelle (Caleb) Sieh, Laura (Brett) Evans, Jay Beichley, Sonya (Josh) Rouser, Burke (Amanda) Shouse, Jordan (Allyssa) Shouse, Melina (Zack) Poyzer, Adam (Cassie Tegeler) Shouse, Carrie Shouse, and Aaron Shouse, and seven great-grandchildren; brothers Paul of Brookfield, MO, and Jerrold of Safford, AZ. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Ramalee Olson.