PACE, Edwin L. (1950-2020)

PACE

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 7/4/2022 at 16:24:24

Edwin Lee Pace
(January 3, 1950 - October 29, 2020)

Pastor Edwin Lee Pace, 70, passed away of metastatic cancer, Crohn’s disease and kidney disease on October 29, 2020. A Celebration of Life will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, May 29, 2021 at the Indianola First United Methodist Church (up to 160 guests). You may also join family on the live stream located on Ed’s obituary page of Overton Funeral Home’s website. Public visitation is 11:00-1:30 in the sanctuary. A reception with fellowship, food and activities will be held from 3:30-7:00 at the Lester building at the Warren County Fairgrounds. This would have been Chris and Ed’s 50th wedding anniversary.
Ed was born January 3, 1950 in Wilden Hospital, Des Moines, Iowa to Helen Lorene (Baldwin) Pace and Earl Darwin Pace. Ed lived in Des Moines with his mom, dad and older brother Darwin Leon until Ed was 3. Next, they moved to the country south of Indianola. Ed attended Kindergarten in the Social Plains one-room schoolhouse. His favorite memories were flying down the metal slide on waxed paper from their sandwiches, heating up cans of soup on the wood stove and literally hanging off the merry-go-round while the older kids spun it. While living in the country, Leland Ray was a welcome addition to the family. Their favorite place to explore was their grandparents’ farm near the Hooper area.
Baseball was always a highlight in Ed’s life. His dad Earl was the founder and coach of the Ahquabi Bobcats. His mom Helen painted bobcats on their team t-shirts. When Ed was 12, the family moved to North J Street in Indianola where they lived for 21 years. Ed and his brothers all played baseball for the Little League and Babe Ruth organizations. Ed followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a talented pitcher. Ed pitched for Indianola High School and Simpson College. He was also the quarterback for his high school football team. The Simpson College football coach wanted him to be their quarterback, but he declined to prevent injuries from a huge rival player who targeted quarterbacks. During basketball season, Ed played trombone in the High School pep band.
Ed met his sweetheart Christine Lynn Kerr in the Indianola High School concert band. Chris is the daughter of Roberta Lee (Starry) Kerr and Charles Wendell Kerr. Ed and Chris’s love story began with the Winter Formal in January of 1968. Ed graduated from Indianola High School in May of 1968. Ed planned a meaningful marriage proposal at the Simpson Chapel. Ed and Chris became engaged on April 11, 1970. Their beautiful wedding was May 29, 1971 at the First United Methodist Church. Ed and Chris celebrated their first wedding anniversary and Ed’s Simpson graduation on the exact same day. Ed earned a bachelor’s degree in business in 1972.
In 1973, Ed and Chris started a family with the birth of Brian Lee. They welcomed Michelle Lynn in 1978 and Laura Ann in 1979. Ed enjoyed many activities with Chris and their kids including family get togethers and reunions, sports, board games, Atari and arcade games, road trips, camping, fishing, hiking and church activities.
Ed’s kind and friendly nature landed him in retail sales for most of his adult life including Todd’s Shoes in Indianola. In March of 2019, he fulfilled a longtime dream of going into ministry. He was appointed Pastor of The Temple of God Church where he lovingly served for one year. He had to step down as Pastor due to the pandemic. Ed was a volunteer grief counselor for the Amanda the Panda organization for 27 weekend camps as well as one virtual camp during the pandemic.
Ed is survived by his wife of 49 years, Chris; daughter Laura and her husband Grant Snyder, grandchildren Ariana, Ellorie and Ryland Snyder; brother Lee and his wife Barb Pace; father-in-law Chuck Kerr; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Jon and Cindy Schuman, Steve and Lisa Gray, and Dave and Sonya Kerr; plus nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles.
Ed was preceded in death by daughter Michelle, son Brian, brother Darwin, infant brother David, parents Earl and Helen (Baldwin) Pace, mother-in-law Roberta (Starry) Kerr, maternal grandparents James and Ethel (Ball) Baldwin, paternal grandparents George and Maude (South) Pace, cousins, aunts and uncles.
Memorials may be made in Ed’s name to Indianola First United Methodist Church, Attn: Missions Ministry, 307 W. Ashland Ave., Indianola, IA 50125, EveryStep Care & Support Services, Attn: Amanda the Panda, 3000 Easton Blvd., Des Moines, IA 50317 or Wesley Woods Camp & Retreat Center, Attn: Equestrian Ministry, 10896 Nixon St., Indianola, IA 50125. This memorial is provided by Overton Funeral Home, 501 West Ashland Ave., Indianola, Iowa, http://www.overtonfuneral.com/