Willson, Denise 1925-2013

WILLSON, VANDER LINDEN, MCFADDEN, KALDENBERG, HUTCHISON, STOKELY, BARTELMA, ROORDA

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 5/11/2013 at 12:25:31

Denise Willson

Des Moines

Denise Willson, 88, passed away on April 27, 2013, at Newton Healthcare in Newton, Iowa. A visitation will be held 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday May 2, at Highland Park Funeral Home, 3500 6th Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa. The Memorial Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. the following day, Friday, May 3, at Epworth United Methodist Church, 412 Euclid Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa.

Denise was born in Prairie City, Iowa, on April 15, 1925, to Samuel and Irma (Vander Linden) McFadden. After graduating from Iowa Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing in 1946, she began working as a nurse and nursing instructor for Iowa Lutheran Hospital until 1987. She married Keith Willson on July 24, 1948, and they were married for nearly 66 years. She was an active member of Epworth United Methodist Church, enjoyed square dancing, antiquing, traveling, and visiting with family and friends with her husband, Keith. After retirement, she volunteered with Hospice of Central Iowa, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, and for food banks and meals for the homeless: "We can't quit just because we stop working."

Those left to honor her memory include her husband, Keith Willson of Newton; a daughter, Barbara (Mike) Kaldenberg of Newton; and a son, Bill (Diana) Willson of Durango, Colorado. She also has two grandchildren, Scott and Christine Kaldenberg. Her surviving siblings include Helen (the late Tex) Kassen of Georgetown, Texas, Edith (the late Raymond) Hutchison of Newton, and Margaret (Leslie) Stokely of Richmond, Virginia; and multiple nieces and nephews. Denise's parents preceded her in death, along with her sister, Jean (Dan) Bartelma; brother, Lawrence (Ruth) McFadden; and sister, Marilyn (Harlan) Roorda.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Epworth United Methodist Church in Des Moines or the Alzheimer's Association. Online condolences can be made through www.petersonfuneralservice.com. ~ The Des Moines Register Website, Des Moines, Iowa.