Ed Emerson

Edwin C. Emerson, 92, died January 15, 2009 at Union Park Health Services in Des Moines.
Edwin was born March 25, 1916 in Ottumwa, Iowa to Joseph and Helen (Brown) Emerson.
On February 14, 1940 he married Oma Elizabeth (June) McFarland in Centerville, Iowa. She died August 2, 1991. He married Dorothy Van Roekel of Knoxville, Iowa on November 21, 1992. She died March 4, 2004.
Mr. Emerson is survived by his brother, Max (Norma) Emerson of Fairfield, Iowa; sister, Maxine Humphreys of Burlington, Iowa; step son, Timothy Van Roekel of Batavia, Ohio; step daughter, Marsha Gadberry of Olathe, Kansas; four step grandchildren; three step great grandchildren; and eight nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Dorothy Allender of Des Moines and Virginia Steckel of Kansas City, MO; and both of his wives.
Edwin was co-owner of Central Cellular in Knoxville from 1995 to 1998, owner of Gateway and Snow White Laundry & Dry Cleaners in Des Moines and was general manager of several hotels in Des Moines, Waterloo, Burlington, Muscatine and Bloomington, Indiana.
Edwin was the oldest active member of Alcoholics Anonymous in Iowa, having joined in 1948. He was a member of the Iowa Commission on Alcoholism. Memorials may be made to: Emerson Memorial for Archives, Area 24 of Alcoholics Anonymous, c/o Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon St., Des Moines, Iowa 50309.
Services for Mr. Emerson will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon St. Burial will be at the Ottumwa Cemetery in Ottumwa at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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