Hales, Janice Gwendolyn 1929-2010

HALES, PEASE, DEMPSTER, LLOYD

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 2/21/2014 at 09:11:26

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register
July 22, 2010

JANICE GWENDOLYN HALES

Janice Gwendolyn (Jan) Hales, 80, of Sun City, Ariz., formerly of the Grinnell area, died Sunday, July 18, 2010, in Peoria, Ariz., from complications of Hepatitis C.

A long-time member of the United Methodist Church, a graveside service for her will be held Monday, July 26, at Center Chapel, United Methodist Church, rural Keosauqua, Iowa. A memorial service will be held at a later date at Lakeview United Methodist Church in Sun City.

She was born in Poweshiek County on Nov. 8, 1929, the daughter of John Gaylord and Florence Pease Dempster. After spending her childhood near Grinnell, she entered what then was called Iowa State College in Ames, majoring in home economics. While there, she met Charles Eugene (Gene) Hales, an engineering student, to whom she was united in marriage on Sept. 12, 1948, at Oak Grove Friends Church, rural Grinnell.

In 1950, they moved to Northwood, then later settled in Keosauqua near her husband's family where he became county engineer. They later moved to Fort Madison and Council Bluffs, before eventually retiring in Sun City. She had worked as a bookkeeper, and also was active in community groups including as an officer in Business and Professional Women, Order of the Eastern Star, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Daughters of American Colonists, Colonial Dames and United Methodist Women. She also mentored her daughters and others in 4-H, Campfire and her church's youth choir.

She is survived by her husband; her daughters and sons, Esther Lloyd, Arizona, James Hales, North Carolina; John Hales, Nebraska, Steve Hales, Arizona, and Myrna Hales, Indiana; and three grandsons. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, John Linn Dempster.