Services
service
September 3, 2015
Thursday
10:30 AM
First Reformed Church
Obituary
Vala Lucille (Donat) Pals, age 93, formerly of Meservey, passed away Monday, August 31, 2015, at the Sheffield Care Center.
Funeral services for Vala Lucille Pals will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, September 3, 2015, at the First Reformed Church in Meservey. Pastor Rodney Meester will officiate. Burial will take place in the Meservey cemetery.
Vala Lucille (Donat) Pals was born December 15, 1921, in Silverton, Oregon, to Wayne and Grace (Linn) Donat. Her family moved from Silverton to Randalia, IA, in 1926 when Lucille was 6 years old. Lucille attended six years of school at Maynard Consolidated School then her family moved to a farm near Hawkeye, IA, where she graduated from High School in 1940.
Following High School, Lucille attended Upper Iowa University at Fayette, IA, where she received her teaching degree. She taught school in Woolstock, IA, Meservey, IA, and Reinbeck, IA school systems.
It was in Meservey that Lucille met the love of her life and future husband, Andrew Pals. They were married June 12, 1947, at the First Methodist Church in Waterloo, IA, where she and her family then lived. She joined Andrew in his farming operation and they also enjoyed traveling and spent many winters in Florida. They lived on the same farm all their married life.
Lucille was a member of the First Reformed Church and the RCWM. She taught Sunday School and Catechism, sang in the ladies quartet, choir and held offices in the RCWM. She was secretary-treasurer of the low income housing in Meservey for 25 years. She enjoyed reading, gardening, quilting, ceramics, sewing and having friends over for coffee and playing cards. She was also a member of the Meservey camera club. She took great pride in what her grandchildren were doing.
She is survived by her husband, Andrew of 68 years. A son, Kent (Terri) Pals of Meservey, IA and a daughter Carla (Bruce) Bertelsen of Plover, WI. Five grandchildren, Matthew (fiancée Amy Ugulini) Pals of West Des Moines, IA; Kristi (Joel) Kohler of Rockwell, IA; Alex Pals of West Des Moines, IA; Alyssa (fiancée Nick Korwin) Bertelsen of Pearland, TX and Jeremy (friend Tina Beu) Bertelsen of Fall River, WI. A brother, Rev. Ward (Dorothy) Donat of Roanoke, VA and several nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Ivadell Sigurdson and her husband Arthur Sigurdson, her sister-in-law Marcia Donat and her step-mother Dorothy Donat.