John Stowell

John Stowell, 71, of Winterset, died Sunday, October 23, 2016 at West Bridge Care and Rehab in Winterset. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at Ochiltree Funeral Service in Winterset, where family will be present to receive friends from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Memorials may be directed to Madison County Historical Society and/or Madison County Relay for Life. John Douglas Stowell, son of Ernest and Dorothy (Hohertz) Stowell, was born March 11, 1945 in Greenfield, Iowa. He graduated from Winterset High School in 1963. He joined the Navy in August of 1965 and served his country off the coast of Vietnam. He recently received a Quilt of Valor for his military service. John returned from the Navy and joined his parents who managed the Madison County Auction. He also assisted his parents with the Stowell Auction Service for many years. He loved to spend time at the farm and also volunteered to help other people when someone needed help. He was a dedicated board member of the Madison County Historical Society for the past 14 years and a volunteer for many years at the Covered Bridge Festival. He was a member of the Madison County Cattleman’s Association and Madison County Pork Producers. He attended the Gospel Chapel in Greenfield. He was an excellent caretaker for his mother after his father passed away. His hobbies include mushroom hunting and putting together puzzles. Recently, he assisted friends with completing a puzzle with 24,000 pieces. Above all else, he was a devoted son, brother, uncle and nephew who cherished nothing more than the time he spent with his family. Left to cherish John’s memory are his mother, Dorothy of Winterset; sister, Shirley Mobley of Sioux City; brother, Roger of Des Moines; nephew, Kevin (Brenda) Mobley of Overland Park, Kansas and their children, Spencer and Morgan; and niece, Kristi (Tom) Rathje of Seward, Nebraska and their children Katie (Kaleb Jensen) and their daughter Charlotte, and Grant and Josie; and several aunts and many cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Ernest; brother-in-law, Earl Mobley; and nephew, Greg Stowell.