Althea Helene (Dickinson) Wall 1914-2006

BAHL, DICKINSON, WALL, EWING, CLARK, NOAD, FOULK

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 10/10/2006 at 10:27:55

Althea Wall

Althea H. Wall, 92, of Waukon, Iowa, died Wednesday, September 6, 2006, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Saturday, September 9, at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon, with Rev. Larry Olson officiating. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon was in charge of arrangements.

Althea Helene was born March 31, 1914, in Waterloo, Iowa, the daughter of Ray and Olivia (Bahl) Dickinson. She spent most of her younger years in Stanley, Iowa. Althea battled polio at a very early age and developed a fighting spirit that served her well throughout her life. After graduating from Lamont High School in 1933, she attended beauty school in Cedar Rapids. When she finished her training, she moved to Waukon and on August 23, 1936, Althea's Beauty Salon opened on Spring Avenue.

Althea married Allen Eugene Wall, a partner in the true sense of the word, and together they raised their family and shared the rest of their lives. A dedicated worker and capable businesswoman, Althea kept detailed logs of all her appointments as well as all the other events in her life. She was proud of her shop and her profession and was a charter member of the National Hairdressers and Cosmetologists Association. She remained active in the salon until her retirement in 1990.

Althea was an avid reader and enjoyed conversations on current events, which she kept abreast of by reading two daily newspapers. She traveled to the places she read about, which gave her great pleasure, as did collecting stamps of the United States. She also enjoyed attending stock car races. Above all, Althea valued her family and nothing was more important to her than being with them and sharing their activities. Her role as daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and sister was her true legacy.

Survivors include a daughter, Phyllis Ewing of Waukon; three grandchildren, Nancy (John Charles) Clark and their children Eliza and Charles, Christine (David) Noad and their children Dillon and Morgan, and Paul (Patricia) Ewing and their children Alexandria and Avery; a brother, Darrell Dickinson of Waterloo; and a brother-in-law, Robert Foulk of LaPorte City, Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Allen, who died in 1980; a son Phillip; a son-in-law, David Ewing; a grandson, Michael Ewing; a brother, Charles Dickinson; and a sister, Virginia Foulk.

Casketbearers were Merle Wall, Jerry Ewing, Gregory and Jeffery Foulk, and Dennis and Donald Dickson.

Waukon Standard, September 13, 2006