Obituary of Mervin Arlo Rummells

Mervin A. Rummells, age 95 formerly of Iowa City died Sunday, January 28, 2007, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Funeral services will be held at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, February 1, 2007, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City with the Reverend Darran Whiting officiating. Burial will be at Memory Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be prior to the services and following the services at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the charity of choice in Mervin’s memory. Online condolences may be sent for his family through our website @www.gayandciha.com. Mervin Arlo Rummells was born October 9, 1911, in rural Johnson County, Iowa the son of William and Mabel (Endsley) Rummells. Following graduation from West Branch High School in 1929, Mervin went on to the State University of Iowa where he received his degree in education. He began a career in education that would span over fifty years, from his teaching in a one room school near Hills, IA, many years in high school education, retiring from Kemper Military College in Boonville. MO having taught over twenty-five years in college education. Only a brief stint in the military during WWII interrupted his teaching career. Following retirement Mervin returned to the Iowa City area where he lived until moving to a care center in Cedar Rapids in 2005. His family includes two brothers, Philip Rummells of Cedar Rapids, and Gene Rummells and his wife, Faye of Evening Shade, Arkansas; two sisters, Ruth Slach of Marion, and Shirley Mathes of Bellingham, WA; sister-in-law, Kathryn Rummells of Mt. Vernon; numerous nieces and nephews, including those in the area, Wanda Drake, Joan Cole, and Roger Hurt and his wife, Carol all of Iowa City, and Janet Duncan and her husband, Carroll of Cedar Rapids. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Fern Hunzinger, Gladys Glaspey, and Faye Hurt; brothers, Donald and Harold Rummells. Mervin’s life is reflected in the many students he taught and supported in the numerous play productions over the years. This was his passion and gift to all. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Mervin’s family and his services.