Souter, Donald Ray 1915-2009

SOUTER, LATCHAM, GWIN, ROSS, SHOPE

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 8/22/2009 at 08:37:27

Smith Funeral Home Online Obituaries

DONALD RAY SOUTER
January 09, 1915-August 03, 2009
Iowa City and formerly of Grinnell

Visitation: 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday and with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 Friday evening August 07, 2009 at Smith Funeral Home, Grinnell

Funeral Service: 10:30 a.m. Saturday August 08, 2009 at Grinnell United Church of Christ-Congregational.

Interment: following funeral service August 08, 2009 at Hazelwood Cemetery, Grinnell

Donald R. Souter, 94, of Iowa City and formerly of Grinnell died August 3, 2009, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Funeral services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, August 8, at the United Church of Christ-Congregational in Grinnell with Rev. Susan K. Weier officiating. Eulogist will be John Pfitsch. Organist will be Pat Saxton and vocalist Milton Severe. Burial will be in Hazelwood Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday, August 7, at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell and where the family will be present from 6:00 to 8:00 Friday evening. Memorial contributions may be directed to the United Church of Christ-Congregational in Grinnell. Don was born January 9, 1915, in Pleasant Township, Poweshiek County, Iowa, the son of Robert Henry and Olivia Latcham Souter. He was a 1933 graduate of Montezuma High School where he excelled in sports. After his education he was employed at Morrison & Schultz Glove Company and later Swifts & Company. On July 26, 1937, he was united in marriage to Cathryn L. Gwin, in Ewart, Iowa. The couple lived in Grinnell and he was employed for several years with the Grinnell Glove Factory where he cut the first DeLong Jackets for Chuck DeLong. He then began working for Poweshiek County Breeders, which later became Midwest Breeders Co-op, for 31 years and retired February 1, 1977. He drove an estimated 2,250,000 miles with this job and had won many service awards for excellence. Don was a member of the United Church of Christ-Congregational in Grinnell, where he was a past president and secretary/treasurer of the Men's Club and served on the Lay Life and Lay Board. He was a past president and treasurer of the Grinnell Inter-City Bowling League; a charter member of the Grinnell Fast Pitch Softball Association; a coach for 10 years of the Cardinals Babe Ruth Baseball team; and was later inducted in the Grinnell Softball Hall of Fame. He was an avid outdoorsman and competitive in all sports. He enjoyed fishing and hunting, and hosting his annual pheasant hunting trip with family and friends. Survivors include three children, Sandra Sue (Gerry) Ross of Marion, Virginia, Linda L. (Lee) Shope of Iowa City, and Roger D. (Karen) Souter of Iowa City; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Cathryn; four brothers, Clifford, Carl, Leonard, and Robert; and one sister in infancy.